Tianyuan Plaza

Tianyuan Plaza

Tianyuan Plaza (Parc Central) is located between Grandview Mall and Teemall on Tianhe Road. The project covers a total site area of 47,000 square meters, with a total floor area of 110,000 square meters, including two floors above ground and three floors underground. The above-ground floor area is approximately 20,000 square meters, and the underground floor area is about 90,000 square meters.

Positioned as a light luxury destination, Tianyuan Plaza features a “double koi fish” architectural design. The rooftops of the buildings are covered with a silver mesh steel structure resembling fish scales. The facades of the fish-shaped structures are entirely clad in glass curtain walls, creating a massive “open-air shopping park” that aims to become a new landmark for high-end shopping centers in South China.

Parc Central (Tianyuan Plaza) is situated at the heart of Guangzhou’s new central business district, introducing a new typology to this rapidly developing city in the Pearl River Delta—a “stadium for retail.” It innovatively integrates ground-level and underground retail spaces within a multi-layered park environment. Situated along a major urban thoroughfare, the development adds an exciting dimension to Guangzhou’s cityscape and combines retail, transit hub, and urban space design strategies.

The site where Parc Central was built was formerly a plaza, whose landscape contributes socially, spatially, and economically to the city. Aligned along the city’s “green belt,” its scenery has become a focal point of the city’s green vision, creating a new “central park” along the bustling Tianhe Road that runs through the city.

The final design outcome is an exceptional 110,000 m² retail area designed around an open parkland environment. The landscape becomes the centerpiece of the precinct, with multi-layered and varied forms of greenery providing spaces for socializing, resting, and relaxation—serving as the “breathing space” of the city center. To realize these concepts, most of the area is placed underground, preserving the surface environment.

Gardens, landscaped walkways, and green walls create undulating green spaces that integrate not only the precinct itself but also the surrounding street spaces. Ultimately, the design brings a pleasant rebalanced environment to Tianhe District.

The Parc Central buildings have a relatively low height of 24 meters, with three floors underground and two above ground. Being lower than the surrounding structures, the design required a striking visual impact to draw attention; the buildings bring more rhythm to the city’s central axis.

The architecture adopts the imagery of “two fish,” symbolizing peace, harmony, and prosperity in Chinese culture, and features a rigid steel shell roof structure. The two buildings embrace a central garden and are connected at one end by a sky bridge. The shell-like roofs are supported by tree-like columns, beneath which a series of gardens are arranged, extending the landscape upward into the buildings.

Adhering to sustainable design principles, Parc Central also incorporates a rainwater harvesting system, low-emissivity glass façades, and EFTE roofing, further enhancing its environmental performance.

Benoy’s interior design team introduced unique architectural forms, with fluid ceiling shapes and continuous wooden structures along the spatial edges. A grand atrium emphasizes circulation and draws light into the circular corridors. Neutral white tones and restored stone materials provide a natural backdrop for the mall, ensuring optimal showcasing of shops and products.

As a true transit-oriented development (TOD), the 110,000 m² project has also established a new public transportation hub in Guangzhou. Thanks to seamless connections between above-ground and underground levels, people can access Parc Central via the metro and bus systems, while elevated pedestrian bridges link the center to the surrounding areas. The design meets the requirements of becoming a multi-dimensional hub, offering convenient access above, at surface level, and below ground.