Shunde MixC One, Foshan by Atelier Global

Located in the bustling Daliang Subdistrict of Shunde District, Foshan, Shunde MixC One is a landmark project that redefines the integration of culture, commerce, and urban life in South China. Designed by Atelier Global, this expansive development spans 138,000 square meters, making it not only the largest TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) commercial complex in the region but also the first of its kind in Shunde city.

Rather than following conventional commercial typologies, the project draws deeply from Lingnan heritage—a rich regional culture known for its subtropical architecture, fluid relationship with water, and poetic spatial language. The result is a complex that functions not only as a retail center but also as a contemporary translation of the water town experience, combining light, movement, water, and memory into a layered urban tapestry.

A Spatial Narrative of Water and Light

Shunde MixC One is conceived as a three-dimensional water town, where elevated courtyards, cascading terraces, and open-air lanes mimic the organic growth of historic Lingnan settlements. The masterplan utilizes a staggered and porous layout, forming a sequence of skywells, arcades, and flowing corridors that evoke the character of riverbanks, boat canopies, fishing sampans, and misty waterways.

This interplay between built form and atmosphere creates a spatial illusion where the boundaries between reality and perception blur. Carefully choreographed light and shadow transform everyday circulation into moments of discovery, while reflective surfaces and gentle water features draw visitors into a poetic ambiance reminiscent of ancient canal towns.

Interweaving Cultural Memory and Contemporary Design

The project references classic Lingnan courtyard elements—such as the “Three Chambers and Two Verandas,” “Moonlight Mirrors in the Pool,” and “Oyster Shell Windows”—reimagined through modern geometry and materials. These traditional motifs are distilled into experiential moments like:

• “Rainplay on Boat Canopy” – thin cantilevers and perforated surfaces that filter water and light

• “Dynamic Sampan Oscillation” – bridges and floating pathways that sway gently with movement

• “Riverside Stroll-Scape” – open pedestrian alleys designed for lingering and observation

• “Neighborhood and Lane” – narrow vertical corridors that reintroduce human-scaled intimacy

Cultural abstraction continues with design gestures such as the “Folding Courtyard”, “Aerial Moon Gate”, and “Vertical Alleyway”—all expressions of deconstructed Lingnan principles. Local materials like red sandstone and symbolic references such as the Nanyue Palace Lantern are incorporated to establish strong ties with regional identity.

This intricate layering of form, meaning, and context results in a place where visitors are not just consumers but participants in a cultural journey. Each architectural fold becomes a vessel for memory, each passage a stage for social interaction.

A New Urban Theater of Everyday Life

At its core, Shunde MixC One is more than a retail development—it is a humanistic experiment in spatiotemporal folding. In an age where urban development often prioritizes efficiency over character, this project offers a counterpoint: a space where time is suspended and culture is performed through architecture.

As a Transit-Oriented Development, the project integrates with public transportation to draw in a wide demographic, yet it resists the homogeneity of typical mall environments. Instead, it frames consumption as a ritualized and theatrical act, where everyday activities like walking, dining, and shopping take on a ceremonial and narrative dimension.

The commercial spaces become stages and the architecture becomes a script, inviting each visitor to interpret their own role in a shared cultural story. Whether wandering through mist-filled courtyards, pausing under a moon gate, or catching a shimmer of waterlight reflected from a pool, visitors are immersed in a dynamic, evolving interplay between history and modernity.

Conclusion: Reimagining the Lingnan Spirit

Shunde MixC One stands as a bold reinterpretation of Lingnan life—a modern water town that acknowledges the poetic soul of its heritage while charting a visionary path forward. In doing so, Atelier Global has not only created a commercial complex, but also a cultural landmark, where architecture serves as both memory and mirror for the people of Shunde.

By uniting light, water, movement, and community, the project fosters a renewed appreciation for the subtleties of Lingnan tradition, offering visitors a unique spatial experience that is immersive, symbolic, and deeply rooted in place.

Photography: Siming Wu