A UNESCO-designated City of Design since 2012， Beijing is known for its vibrant design sector. One of Beijing’s pillar industries， the sector employs nearly 250，000 people and has a total value estima
A UNESCO-designated City of Design since 2012， Beijing is known for its vibrant design sector. One of Beijing’s pillar industries， the sector employs nearly 250，000 people and has a total value estimated at over 160 billion yuan （$24 billion）. China’s capital also attracts many international creatives. Several of them shared with Beijing Review reporter Tao Xing their reasons for venturing out to China in the first place and how they observe the nation’s design market today.
Barbara Seidelmann， Managing Director of 5 Star Plus Retail Design： 5 Star Plus Retail Design is an international commercial interior design company developing concepts for stores， restaurants， and exhibition stands. I am from Austria and lead an international team of Chinese， European and American professionals at the company.
We opened as a retail design firm in China nine years ago. This is a country with a lot of dynamic energy. Cities and the building landscape are less established than in Europe or the U.S.， allowing us to embark on architectural design projects from scratch.
In addition， the sheer size of the market and its consumers are very attractive features for many brands willing to invest in trendsetting largescale store designs and new creative concepts here. The market has developed incredibly fast and today there is a much bigger number of international and local architecture and design firms focusing on the retail market. It is the speed of the market， as well as its potential， that never stops to impress.
It is important to understand that China is a huge country with its culture stretching across rich and diverse re- gions. North and south are very different， as are the ethnic backgrounds of people. When we design commercial architecture， it is often about perfectly representing the brand and what it stands for； therefore， the positioning and style are usually aligned globally. There is， however， an increasing trend that goes toward incorporating local elements in architecture， to make it more context-specific.
In China， each local store or restaurant design becomes unique and relates to the local culture and people. There is， on the other side， also an increasing number of companies that proudly incorporate Chinese elements into their brand design， which is great to see.
We also help international enterprises landing in China. Kjus， for example， is a Swiss luxury sportswear brand founded by Norwegian ski champion Lasse Kjus. We developed a design concept for the brand’s China stores that is completely different from its international stores and better suits the palate of Chinese consumers. To showcase the brand’s positioning and technical quality of products， our store design gives off a cool vibe and emphasizes hi-tech elements.
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