DUTS Design created LIVAT Beijing Kidstown to provide a diversified activity space for children and families in Beijing, China.

Children are our hope and future. The increasingly diversified children’s activity space brings them, a richer growth experience and more family interactions, in return, parents can better accompany their children’s growth. DUTS design has recently finished a new kids project – LIVAT Beijing kidstown. As the largest kids town in the south of Beijing, it covers an area of approximately 14,000 square meters. Inspired by the “Mobius Ring”, DUTS design creating an “Infinite Happy World” that combines kids playing, family leisure, retail, restaurant, themed theater, cultural activities, education and pop-up exhibitions.

LIVAT Beijing is located in the south of Beijing, with a construction area of approximately 550,000 square meters. As a family-friendly shopping mall, LIVAT is committed to creating a relaxed, comfortable and special environment and experience for the public.

LIVAT Beijing kidstown is the first large-scale kids town on a global scale. Since the project was originally a supermarket, it occupies a huge volume of 14,000 square meters, but only has two narrow entrances and exits at both ends.

When DUTS design team saw this site, they considered not only the color and form of the space, but also “How to activate this field through design? We don’t only want to make everyone see its appealing and feels fun, but also to create a natural flow of people through the design for the entire site. If people refuse to go deep in the field, this will be a huge problem for business operations.”

The “Mobius ring” is a unique infinite continuous two-dimensional single-sided ring structure in a three-dimensional space. The landing of such a topological geometric prototype was a great challenge for designers. This design fully analyzes the height, distance, fluidity and other data in the site through the digital translation of the geometric prototype of the Möbius ring. After countless iterations and evolutions, the space is restored perfectly under the condition of limited cost. The uniqueness of the ring combines different functions with the ring, opening up unlimited possibilities in a limited space, greatly increasing and opening up the commercial experience and display interface, making the walking and playing experience space endlessly extend.

The “infinite” extended space brings more fun to explore for children. Through the flow of space design, a healthy retail ecosystem is formed. Digital design brings more imaginative possibilities for spatial modeling. Small and medium-sized unit spaces of different scales are like lively little elves, floating, rotating, or jumping under the “gentle envelopment” of the overall space. The ever-changing posture expands the tension of the space, and also guides the children to explore and stimulate more imagination and creativity.

Design: DUTS Design
Photography: LIU LEI Architecture Photography