Benoy and the team at INDIGO reflects the history and design concept of modern Chaoyang district.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the operation of INDIGO, a retail-led mixed-use commercial complex designed by Benoy, located in the heart of the Chaoyang district on Jiangtai Road in Beijing. In honour of its tenth birthday, Benoy and the team at INDIGO come together to speak in an oral history documentary, sharing their thoughts on some of the defining moments of developing and managing the INDIGO complex.
What challenges did INDIGO encounter throughout its evolution? How to put community placemaking and sustainable development into practice? What are the architectural challenges when building the “Winter Garden”?
Watch the video to learn the background behind the INDIGO complex.
To watch the full video, click here.
Significance to the Community:
At one time, Jiangtai Road was a rural-urban fringe area but is now a place that breathes life into the community. INDIGO is a perfect destination to explore Beijing and get to know the Chaoyang District. Since its launch, INDIGO has been a big part of people’s lives; a place to live, work and explore the area’s attractions with family and friends.
Over the past decade, INDIGO has received multiple wins, including the Hospitality Architecture and Design (HA+D) ‘Certificate of Excellence’ in Hotel Interior Design, the LEED Certification, Gold (pre-certified) and Platinum (certified), etc. INDIGO has successfully proven to be a popular landmark to the people in Chaoyang, displaying excellence in design, innovation and sustainability.
Design Concept:
Benoy has provided the master planning, architectural design and interior design services to the INDIGO complex. The centre officially opened in 2012 and was developed by Swire Properties and Sino-Ocean Group.
Spanning a total gross floor area of approximately 176,000 m², INDIGO is comprised of a 5‑storey 58,000 m² Grade A office tower — ONE INDIGO, 68,000 m² of retail, a 5‑star business hotel with 369 rooms and suites — EAST, Beijing. The entire complex is surrounded by a unique park setting. INDIGO was designed not only to reflect the urban characteristic of modern Chaoyang but also to reflect its natural environment through an unique space called the “Winter Garden”.
With a floor area of 2,300 m² and 33 m in height, the Winter Garden has been conceived as a multi-functional indoor complex with an outdoor experience. A spectacular free-form monocoque shell-like roof spanning about 100 metres with an incredibly transparent façade to the park was the centrepiece of the whole INDIGO centre.
Teri Tsang, Director – Hong Kong Studio Lead, commented:
“Luckily for us, one favourable condition about the land was the green space nearby. Our demand, and also Swire Properties’, was taking full advantage of the nature. That Winter Garden is a very important element that connects all our buildings. So we all hope that this Winter Garden may have some special design in shape. Therefore, on the first day, we thought it might be a piece of leaf, or the shape of a fan.”
INDIGO has rapidly grown and come a long way. The complex has demonstrated a long-term commitment to improving the city’s consumer economy and lifestyle that defines a modern urban community.
INDIGO is currently working towards its Phase II extension, comprising a shopping mall, office towers and a hotel, that marks the start of an exciting new chapter.
Happy 10th Anniversary to INDIGO. We would like to thank our clients, collaborators and the team at INDIGO for the incredible journey.
