Located in the heart of Taipei’s most lively “Xinyi” district, the new FEDS Xinyi A13 department store is within a 10-minute walk from Taipei 101, Eslite Bookstore and the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Positioned as the first and only “smart shopping mall” in Taiwan, this new store design concept is the fifth generation department store owned by Far Eastern Department Store group.
One of the main highlight is the restaurant level on the fourth floor, which the entire floor is themed with a nostalgic Taiwanese street alley. As sunlight shines into the street alley though the 11m tall glass facade, the atmosphere transports the customers into another time period.
Digital design and experiential technology are incorporated into the department store’s architecture and interior design. Throughout the departmental store are interactive screen panels displaying video content, providing customers with elements of discovery and visual sensory experience.
Since opening for a year, FEDS Xinyi A13 has become a popular weekend shopping and leisure destination for Taipeiers. With the large selection of brands and offerings, there is something for everyone to discover and explore.
As Mainland Chinese visitors look forward to the Coronavirus travel ban to be lifted in 2021, we will be eagerly waiting to be in line to visit the new FEDS Xinyi A13. So let’s have a look and learn how the designers at Gensler approached the design for this next-gen department store in Taipei.
Retail Entering a New Era
“Retail is entering a new era, and projects like FEDS Xinyi A13 are so important because they become the standards of the future. And we are very excited to be working with Far Eastern Department Store Group on this journey to create a brand new retail experience for Xinyi A13,” says Edward Chao, Studio Director, and Richard Chang, Retail Practice Area leader at Gensler Greater China. “We assembled a global multi-disciplinary design team with experts from retail to hospitality to branding and digital experience design to develop an unique departmental store experience for Taiwan.”
Markus Pesendorfer, Retail Expert at Gensler APME said, “How we first approach this project is based on customer profiling and research. Through Gensler’s research, we can better understand the needs of the new Taiwanese customer. We wanted to create a better retail space for the FEDS Xinyi A13 to explore, inspire and enjoy life.”
A minimalist design gives a modern and refreshing look to the store interior, a style that is well-loved by the Millennials and today’s customers.
Infusing Taiwanese Culture & Aesthetics
“Inspired by the incredible beauty of Taiwan, the design aesthetics was expressed throughout the store. Natural materials, especially wood highlights the circulation path throughout the store. Each floor is very unique and each floor has its own natural expression,” said Alison Carr, Retail Design Director at Gensler.
Mosaic tiles on the ceiling were used to create a traditional Chinese porcelain motif.
Taiwanese natural elements and floral designs can be found throughout the store.
The restaurant level on the 4th floor is designed to resemble a nostalgic Taiwanese street alley.
The careful selection of floor tiles, wall bricks, furniture and lighting design comes together to create a nostalgic atmosphere.
Vintage street signs create a very nolstagic look of Old Taiwan.
Designing for Comfort & Hospitality
“Hospitality and comfort is one of the very important design elements we want to create for FEDS Xinyi A13”, said Alison Carr, Retail Design Director at Gensler, “Given the fact that this store in located in a very busy section of Taipei, the design was infused with moments of hospitality and areas of respite.”
Natural materials such as wood highlights the circulation path throughout the store to create warmth and balance to the overall store design.
Digital Design Delivers an Elevated Shopping Experience
Edward Chao and Richard Chang said, “Beside the references to Taiwan’s nature and culture, the other key design element is in the technology aspects. For example, as you move up and down the main escalator, you will discover digital experience design incorporated throughout the entire atrium space. Digital screens creates a bright and lively on the entire fourteen levels in the department store.”
The Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 offers a very unique shopping experience that incorporates retail, hospitality and digital experience. In the design, natural element of Taiwan can be found throughout the entire building. From the patterning of the floor and the ceiling, there are motifs of natural wood, plants, flowers.
In contrast to the modern chic design of the main atrium, one of the design highlights is a replica of the traditional Taiwanese street and facades on the third floor. At the basement food court, Chinese floral porcelain-style mosaic can be found at the ceiling. All these Taiwanese cultural designs are strategically placed in different spaces through the entire departmental store.
These subtle overall details really make the overall retail experience very different and very unique, and something that the Taiwanese consumers will feel like something that belongs to the market elevated to the departmental store experience in this market.
Digital experience is an element incorporated in the design such as digital video screens at the major escalator core area and the entire atrium space, creating this bright imagery along the entire fourteen storey area.
