The Ring is a new retail destination that innovatively combines urban living and the beauty of nature in one space. The development is a ground-breaking ecological addition to Chongqing featuring one of China’s largest indoor botanic gardens. 

Setting a new benchmark for experiential destinations in the Chongqing and China, the vision seeks to deliver a new generation social destination, an urban natural community, and a landmark regional commercial centre. The power of biophilia and our desire to be close to nature is front and centre, pushing the agenda forward for future commercial developments. 

As part of the development programming, a diverse collection of spaces has been intertwined in the 154,000sqm scheme, including: Botanical Garden(B1-L6): The 6,000sqm, 42m-tall indoor garden with thousands of plants offers a multi-level experience interlaced with surrounding retail, dining and entertainment spaces. 

Oasis Walk: A series of connected, elevated ramps that allow visitors to immerse themselves and take a journey of discovery through the botanical garden’s multiple levels. 

Free+ Sports Zone(L3-5): The multi-sports events area brings a new attraction to the development. Digital integration, e-gaming and an iconic staircase for audience seating aim to entice a new generation of customers. 

OPEN LAB Cultural Forum(L3-5): This calm public space for reading and gathering has ample seating and open views, which allow visitors to relax, enjoy, share and socialise within the development. 

Children’s Zone(L2): The themed playground envisions a cardboard city for the youngest visitors to engage with to capture the family entertainment market. A children-related trade and entertainment mix, including developer’s Kidsplorer STEAM play centre, surrounds the space. 

Commune Village(L4-5): Configured as an internal street with interlocking and double storey shopfronts, this is a hub for specialty F&B tenants to offer a new dining culture on the upper floors. 

The multi-level garden connects with each of the mall’s seven levels, and the interior design has blended in the natural atmosphere by way of the material palette and open-space planning. Elevated walkways, public seating and hanging fixtures create intimacy with nature and help to extend the gardens upwards. 

The design creates nodal spaces for rest, events and social opportunity, while immersing the surrounding retail activities in an ecological setting. Within the Botanical Garden, the natural atmosphere is blended into the main atrium to feel like one unified space with the help of the flooring design, ceiling materials and 24-metre-tall water feature. 

The design essentially delivers a new, year-round green space for the community and protected landscape for Chongqing. As described by the developer, the scheme is based on sustainable principles and the success of the project will see the ‘urban-nature-community’ concept serve as a pioneering model for other cities across the Chinese mainland.