Outlets 8, Conghua by E Plus Design: Chromatic Urbanism and Ecological Renewal
Outlets 8, Conghua | © Wu Siming
In the landscape of contemporary Chinese urbanism, few typologies encapsulate the contradictions of late-capitalist development more vividly than the pseudo-European commercial complex. These replicated enclaves, constructed en masse in the early 2000s, were once marketed as symbols of international sophistication. Over time, however, many were abandoned, becoming architectural vestiges of speculative urbanism. Outlets 8 in Conghua, Guangzhou, is one such project that has undergone a radical architectural reinterpretation. Originally completed in 2018 but long dormant, it has been reimagined by E Plus Design in collaboration with URBANUS/LXD Studio. Through a precise, light-touch intervention, the project avoids wholesale demolition and reprograms space through color, rhythm, and landscape strategy.
Outlets 8, Conghua Technical Information
Architects1-14: E Plus Design
Central Plaza Design: URBANUS / LXD Studio
Location: Conghua District, Guangzhou, China
Gross Area: 80,882 m2 | 870,000 Sq. Ft.
Project Years: 2022 – 2023
Photographs: © Wu Siming
This approach is like a contemporary remix of classical music. The four blocks correspond to four movements. Without extensive demolition or altering the European-style architectural rhythm, we reinterpreted the emotional tones, chords, and cadenzas. Through a blend of color and modern gestures, the outdated and disproportionate ‘faux-antique’ complex has been reorchestrated into a contemporary architectural symphony.
– Li Fu, Chief Architect at E Plus Design
Outlets 8, Conghua Photographs
Aerial View | © Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Chen Liang Liu Shan
© Chen Liang Liu Shan
© Chen Liang Liu Shan
Outlets 8 Context and Typological Challenge
Outlets 8 was initially conceived as a 110,000-square-meter faux-European outlet village. Despite its scale and investment, it struggled to resonate with local cultural dynamics and remained idle. The typology itself, rooted in nostalgic mimicry, was already facing obsolescence. The challenge, then, was not only architectural but also conceptual: how to resuscitate a typology that had become both spatially and culturally inert.
The design team chose a strategy of minimal physical intervention coupled with maximal perceptual impact. Rather than demolish or drastically reconstruct, they aimed to re-signify the existing structures. This approach reflects a growing trend in urban renewal across China, where sustainability, cost-efficiency, and cultural specificity take precedence over spectacle.
Spatial Transformation Through Chromatic Reprogramming
After | © Wu Siming
Before | Original Facade, © E+
At the intervention’s core is using color as a spatial and psychological agent. The ornament-heavy facades were stripped of their polychromatic excess and repainted in low-saturation hues. This chromatic cleansing revealed the formal rhythms of the architecture beneath. By doing so, the design avoids mimicry and opts for abstraction, reintroducing clarity to the site’s visual language.
The design framework is structured as a musical metaphor, with each of the four blocks conceived as a separate movement in a visual symphony. The street-facing facades, now unified through a golden “variation,” establish a new urban frontage that is both legible and symbolically rich. A ribbon-like golden band traces across the main elevations, creating continuity and contrast between old and new volumes.
In contrast, the sports block adopts a cooler, blue-toned palette, offering a different spatial and functional rhythm. New architectural insertions are rendered in transparent materials, signaling temporal and programmatic distinctions. At the center, the elliptical plaza becomes a spatial crescendo, defined by a sculptural intervention inspired by Roman aqueducts. This feature functions as a landmark and a temporal break, juxtaposing historical references with performative landscape elements.
Rewriting Landscape as Urban Ecology
After | © Wu Siming
Before | Original Facade, © E+
Water, derived from the nearby Liuxi River, serves as the thematic and material backbone of the landscape design. Its integration is not symbolic but functional. Water flows through constructed channels, interactive fountains, and sculptural cascades that encourage observation and participation. These elements create a multisensory environment that enhances the spatial experience while reinforcing ecological awareness.
The planting strategy emphasizes native species capable of withstanding Guangzhou’s subtropical climate. The design maximizes greenery wherever regulatory conditions allow, particularly along the main entrance, central corridors, and arcaded walkways. The result is a layered landscape that balances visual density with ecological resilience.
Integrating landscape and architecture as a singular design operation, the project shifts away from ornamental greening toward environmental synthesis. This approach foregrounds interaction and immersion, aligning with broader shifts in landscape architecture toward performative and participatory ecologies.
Programmatic Rebirth and Urban Implications
After | © Wu Siming
Before | Original Facade, © E+
Beyond formal and material considerations, the project redefines the programmatic potential of large-scale retail environments. Positioned as a “micro-vacation” destination, Outlets 8 is a hybrid typology. It combines retail, leisure, and outdoor experience within a cohesive spatial narrative. This reprogramming responds to changing patterns of consumption and leisure in Chinese cities, particularly among younger demographics seeking experiential value over transactional efficiency.
Statistical metrics underscore the project’s social impact. In its first nine days, the outlet attracted over half a million visitors and became a trending location across multiple digital platforms. While not the focus of architectural critique, these figures reflect a successful alignment between spatial renewal and public resonance.
More importantly, the project offers a replicable model for dealing with the vast inventory of misaligned commercial developments across China. The intervention avoids nostalgia and cynicism by foregrounding perceptual clarity, ecological integration, and cultural recontextualization. Instead, it offers a clear path forward for reimagining the built remnants of a prior urban paradigm.
Outlets 8, Conghua Plans
Elevations | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Sections | © E Plus Design
Outlets 8, Conghua Image Gallery
About E Plus Design
E Plus Design is a multidisciplinary architecture studio based in Shenzhen, China, known for its innovative approaches to urban renewal, adaptive reuse, and large-scale public space transformations. The firm emphasizes minimal intervention strategies, spatial clarity, and contextual sensitivity, often working at the intersection of architecture, landscape, and urban design to create integrated environments that are both socially responsive and experientially rich.
Credits and Additional Notes
Chief Design Consultant: Liu Xiaodu
Master Plan, Architecture, and Landscape Schemes: E Plus Design
Lead Architects: Li Fu, Coco Zhou
Project Managers: Guo Sibo, Huang Haifeng
Architectural Design Team: Wang Junli, Zhang Yan, Cai Yidie, Zhu Meng, Lin Zhaomei, Li Geng, Stephane Anil Mamode, Liu Shan, Zhou Yubo
Central Plaza Design: URBANUS / LXD Studio
Architect of Central Plaza: Liu Xiaodu
Project Manager: Li An’hong
Facade Design: Song Baolin, Li Minggang
Lighting Design: Fang Yuhui
Lighting Consultant: Han Du Associates
Client: Guangzhou Outlets 8 Commercial Management Co., Ltd.
Client Design Management Team: Yin Mingyue, Zhao Xiong
Landscape Area: 29,100 m²
Chief Landscape Architect: Gao Yan
Project Manager: Zhang Yufeng
Landscape Design Team: Yu Xiaolei, Li Zhaozhan, Liu Chenghua
Landscape Construction Drawings: E Plus Design
Project Manager: Wang Bin
Design Team: Wang Bin. Huang Jinxiong. Li GenStructural Design Team: Wang Kaiming, Yang Helin, Wu Xingwei, Zhuang Dengfa
Electrical Design Team: Sun Wei, Yang Ying
Interior Design Concept Design: Shenzhen Juanshi Design Co., Ltd.
Chief Interior Designer: Feng Feifan
Project Manager: Liu Hongwei
Design Team: Niu Jingxian, Shi Meitao
Construction Drawings: Shenzhen Shiye Design Co., Ltd.
Project Manager: Shen Kaizhen
Design Team: Yao Yijian, Yang Hao, Liu Chen
Wayfinding Design Studio: Hexi Brand Design Co., Ltd.
Curtain Wall Design Firm: Positive Attitude Group
#outlets #conghua #plus #design #chromaticOutlets 8, Conghua by E Plus Design: Chromatic Urbanism and Ecological Renewal
Outlets 8, Conghua | © Wu Siming
In the landscape of contemporary Chinese urbanism, few typologies encapsulate the contradictions of late-capitalist development more vividly than the pseudo-European commercial complex. These replicated enclaves, constructed en masse in the early 2000s, were once marketed as symbols of international sophistication. Over time, however, many were abandoned, becoming architectural vestiges of speculative urbanism. Outlets 8 in Conghua, Guangzhou, is one such project that has undergone a radical architectural reinterpretation. Originally completed in 2018 but long dormant, it has been reimagined by E Plus Design in collaboration with URBANUS/LXD Studio. Through a precise, light-touch intervention, the project avoids wholesale demolition and reprograms space through color, rhythm, and landscape strategy.
Outlets 8, Conghua Technical Information
Architects1-14: E Plus Design
Central Plaza Design: URBANUS / LXD Studio
Location: Conghua District, Guangzhou, China
Gross Area: 80,882 m2 | 870,000 Sq. Ft.
Project Years: 2022 – 2023
Photographs: © Wu Siming
This approach is like a contemporary remix of classical music. The four blocks correspond to four movements. Without extensive demolition or altering the European-style architectural rhythm, we reinterpreted the emotional tones, chords, and cadenzas. Through a blend of color and modern gestures, the outdated and disproportionate ‘faux-antique’ complex has been reorchestrated into a contemporary architectural symphony.
– Li Fu, Chief Architect at E Plus Design
Outlets 8, Conghua Photographs
Aerial View | © Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Wu Siming
© Chen Liang Liu Shan
© Chen Liang Liu Shan
© Chen Liang Liu Shan
Outlets 8 Context and Typological Challenge
Outlets 8 was initially conceived as a 110,000-square-meter faux-European outlet village. Despite its scale and investment, it struggled to resonate with local cultural dynamics and remained idle. The typology itself, rooted in nostalgic mimicry, was already facing obsolescence. The challenge, then, was not only architectural but also conceptual: how to resuscitate a typology that had become both spatially and culturally inert.
The design team chose a strategy of minimal physical intervention coupled with maximal perceptual impact. Rather than demolish or drastically reconstruct, they aimed to re-signify the existing structures. This approach reflects a growing trend in urban renewal across China, where sustainability, cost-efficiency, and cultural specificity take precedence over spectacle.
Spatial Transformation Through Chromatic Reprogramming
After | © Wu Siming
Before | Original Facade, © E+
At the intervention’s core is using color as a spatial and psychological agent. The ornament-heavy facades were stripped of their polychromatic excess and repainted in low-saturation hues. This chromatic cleansing revealed the formal rhythms of the architecture beneath. By doing so, the design avoids mimicry and opts for abstraction, reintroducing clarity to the site’s visual language.
The design framework is structured as a musical metaphor, with each of the four blocks conceived as a separate movement in a visual symphony. The street-facing facades, now unified through a golden “variation,” establish a new urban frontage that is both legible and symbolically rich. A ribbon-like golden band traces across the main elevations, creating continuity and contrast between old and new volumes.
In contrast, the sports block adopts a cooler, blue-toned palette, offering a different spatial and functional rhythm. New architectural insertions are rendered in transparent materials, signaling temporal and programmatic distinctions. At the center, the elliptical plaza becomes a spatial crescendo, defined by a sculptural intervention inspired by Roman aqueducts. This feature functions as a landmark and a temporal break, juxtaposing historical references with performative landscape elements.
Rewriting Landscape as Urban Ecology
After | © Wu Siming
Before | Original Facade, © E+
Water, derived from the nearby Liuxi River, serves as the thematic and material backbone of the landscape design. Its integration is not symbolic but functional. Water flows through constructed channels, interactive fountains, and sculptural cascades that encourage observation and participation. These elements create a multisensory environment that enhances the spatial experience while reinforcing ecological awareness.
The planting strategy emphasizes native species capable of withstanding Guangzhou’s subtropical climate. The design maximizes greenery wherever regulatory conditions allow, particularly along the main entrance, central corridors, and arcaded walkways. The result is a layered landscape that balances visual density with ecological resilience.
Integrating landscape and architecture as a singular design operation, the project shifts away from ornamental greening toward environmental synthesis. This approach foregrounds interaction and immersion, aligning with broader shifts in landscape architecture toward performative and participatory ecologies.
Programmatic Rebirth and Urban Implications
After | © Wu Siming
Before | Original Facade, © E+
Beyond formal and material considerations, the project redefines the programmatic potential of large-scale retail environments. Positioned as a “micro-vacation” destination, Outlets 8 is a hybrid typology. It combines retail, leisure, and outdoor experience within a cohesive spatial narrative. This reprogramming responds to changing patterns of consumption and leisure in Chinese cities, particularly among younger demographics seeking experiential value over transactional efficiency.
Statistical metrics underscore the project’s social impact. In its first nine days, the outlet attracted over half a million visitors and became a trending location across multiple digital platforms. While not the focus of architectural critique, these figures reflect a successful alignment between spatial renewal and public resonance.
More importantly, the project offers a replicable model for dealing with the vast inventory of misaligned commercial developments across China. The intervention avoids nostalgia and cynicism by foregrounding perceptual clarity, ecological integration, and cultural recontextualization. Instead, it offers a clear path forward for reimagining the built remnants of a prior urban paradigm.
Outlets 8, Conghua Plans
Elevations | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Floor Plan | © E Plus Design
Sections | © E Plus Design
Outlets 8, Conghua Image Gallery
About E Plus Design
E Plus Design is a multidisciplinary architecture studio based in Shenzhen, China, known for its innovative approaches to urban renewal, adaptive reuse, and large-scale public space transformations. The firm emphasizes minimal intervention strategies, spatial clarity, and contextual sensitivity, often working at the intersection of architecture, landscape, and urban design to create integrated environments that are both socially responsive and experientially rich.
Credits and Additional Notes
Chief Design Consultant: Liu Xiaodu
Master Plan, Architecture, and Landscape Schemes: E Plus Design
Lead Architects: Li Fu, Coco Zhou
Project Managers: Guo Sibo, Huang Haifeng
Architectural Design Team: Wang Junli, Zhang Yan, Cai Yidie, Zhu Meng, Lin Zhaomei, Li Geng, Stephane Anil Mamode, Liu Shan, Zhou Yubo
Central Plaza Design: URBANUS / LXD Studio
Architect of Central Plaza: Liu Xiaodu
Project Manager: Li An’hong
Facade Design: Song Baolin, Li Minggang
Lighting Design: Fang Yuhui
Lighting Consultant: Han Du Associates
Client: Guangzhou Outlets 8 Commercial Management Co., Ltd.
Client Design Management Team: Yin Mingyue, Zhao Xiong
Landscape Area: 29,100 m²
Chief Landscape Architect: Gao Yan
Project Manager: Zhang Yufeng
Landscape Design Team: Yu Xiaolei, Li Zhaozhan, Liu Chenghua
Landscape Construction Drawings: E Plus Design
Project Manager: Wang Bin
Design Team: Wang Bin. Huang Jinxiong. Li GenStructural Design Team: Wang Kaiming, Yang Helin, Wu Xingwei, Zhuang Dengfa
Electrical Design Team: Sun Wei, Yang Ying
Interior Design Concept Design: Shenzhen Juanshi Design Co., Ltd.
Chief Interior Designer: Feng Feifan
Project Manager: Liu Hongwei
Design Team: Niu Jingxian, Shi Meitao
Construction Drawings: Shenzhen Shiye Design Co., Ltd.
Project Manager: Shen Kaizhen
Design Team: Yao Yijian, Yang Hao, Liu Chen
Wayfinding Design Studio: Hexi Brand Design Co., Ltd.
Curtain Wall Design Firm: Positive Attitude Group
#outlets #conghua #plus #design #chromatic
English
Arabic
French
Spanish
Portuguese
Deutsch
Turkish
Dutch
Italiano
Russian
Romaian
Portuguese (Brazil)
Greek
