Taikoo Li, a hospitality, entertainment and retail destination in Chengdu, China, was forced to go quiet during long Covid lockdowns across the country. The brand needed a way to reconnect and re-engage patrons with the unique experience of visiting Taikoo Li, but from home. So, with people unable to visit the city’s urban entertainment centre and ancient Daci Temple at the heart of Taikoo Li’s web of lanes, Design Bridge and Partners brought the temple to the people.

“Our solution was to design a digital platform that reimagines the contemporary experiences of Taikoo Li, its cultural heritage and reputation as a patron and collector of the arts,” says the studio. “A digital sanctuary for the arts, self-expression and subtle connections to the retail experience, we named this ‘The Temple’, inspired by the Daci Temple.

“The Temple is constructed into three distinct rooms – The House of Light, The Blossom Garden, and The Infinity Tower. Each of the rooms is inspired by rituals within the Daci Temple – from observing the movement of light and shadows that reveal inner meaning, to releasing a koi carp, to the melody of interactive singing bowls and water meditation.

“We worked with three artists creating bespoke digital art pieces for each of the rooms and launched the platform through WeChat to all Taikoo Li’s followers, fans and patrons.”

Credits:
Design Studio: Design Bridge and Partners
Creative Director: Tim Brown
Creative Digital Director: Jessica Tan
Creative Developer: Paola Demichelis
Senior Designer: Kitty Chan
Client Director: Claudia Li
Client Manager: Eugenia Chui
Senior Strategists: Irene Wu, Doris Wu
Artists: Sébastien Labrunie, Lu Yi, Gianluca Crudele,
Zheng Tiantian
Soundscape Design Partner: TwoAM
Tech Development Partner: Le Polish Bureau