Lafonce Maxone: A Cultural Oasis in an Industrial Desert

Bookstore-Themed Commercial Complex Redefines Urban Space

Cheng's design inspiration stemmed from the belief that culture has no geographical distance and can attract participation from all people. This led to the theme of "book" running through the entire space. The result is a striking and pioneering 18m-high and 240m-long artistic book wall, which has brought a new image of urban commercial space to Xi'an and even China.

The original building, a roughcast architecture that had been idle for three years, was transformed into a vibrant cultural and commercial complex. The designers retained the original void area to create a strong experiential sense of space. The two large walls, constructed with steel structures and transparent glass, house hundreds of thousands of books. This design allows people to see through the walls and lets light diffuse randomly into the void area, interacting with the spatial entities in various forms.

The Lafonce Maxone project, covering an area of 36,000 sqm, started in December 2016 and was completed in December 2018. Despite the project's location in an area with low human flow and commercial activity, the design strategy of integrating culture and commerce has successfully attracted customers, promoting local economic development and improving business operations of shopping centers.

Cheng's design faced the challenge of making Lafonce Maxone stand out among other big shopping malls in Xi'an. However, the unique bookstore-themed design and the integration of multiple business forms have made it a trendy cultural and commercial complex that not only attracts human flow but also contributes to local economic development.

This innovative design has earned recognition and accolades. In 2020, Lafonce Maxone was awarded the Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award, a prestigious honor granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. These are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.