2020-04-17

The Design Idea of Community Business and Neighborhood Communication Space

——Background

First of all, what is community business and neighborhood communication space? Community business in China usually refers to a small commercial complex of between 10,000-30,000 square meters, but in terms of its function it is the equivalent to the concept of a "neighbourhood center" The concept of "neighbourhood center" originally came from Singapore in the early 1960s. The essence of the new community service concept is a comprehensive shopping mall that integrates a variety of life service facilities. Therefore, the community business here is not "business within the community", but "business serving the community (Photo 1: Beijing Sitech Refurbishment)." The neighbourhood communication space is an artificial building space centered on community commerce for the entertainment and relaxation of its residents.

——Commercial Business Status

With the development of cloud platforms, various large-scale commercial complexes have to find their own way out of the evolution of the times because of the impact of online sales. Immersive shopping malls, art mall-style shopping malls that focus on cultural consumption, or various themed businesses created by different consumer circles and all try their best to resonate with consumers in different ways, form topics and seek attention (Photo 2: Zhuzhou Suning Refurbishment). In the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of community commerce is also highlighted. When large shopping malls, entertainment venues, and public transportation are stopped, community commerce bears the living needs of all surrounding residents.

——Neighborhood Communication Space

After community business meets the basic requirements of its "large-scale basic supporting service facility center", a mature and advantageous community business needs to meet the social needs of the surrounding residents as much as possible. It can further improve the quality and create conditions for the community. When everyone can walk out of the house again, there will be a place within walking distance that provides a cup of coffee, a piece of grass, a few seats, or a place that can dance, play badminton and not disturb the residents around (Photo 3: Zhengzhou Taiyang City Mall Refurbishment). From the perspective of architectural design, the communication space attached to the main commercial space becomes the highlight of the community commercial design.

——Design Idea of "Communication Space"

From a macro perspective, the "communicating space" is also the "grey space" of the building. When viewing the main body of the building, the gray space will give the viewer a certain pause and a sense of rhythm (Photo 4: Huaxia Xingtai); Therefore, the design scale of the "interaction space" should also be based on the human scale. It is necessary to consider the human five senses, psychology, and the hidden rules of the surrounding residents' activities to create spaces with different atmospheres, different scales, and different uses.

For example, the five senses are shape, sound, smell, taste and touch. To consider the five senses in the design of the "communication space", it is necessary to carry out in-depth consideration of materials, landscapes and spaces (Photo 5: Nanjing Suning Refurbishment). Different considerations will bring different qualities and experiences to different spaces, so that the design ideas will be clearer.

Written by: Zhao Yue - Arch. Stduio 1, Director