On December 28, 2025, MIXC VILLAGE celebrated its grand opening as a pioneering exploration of commercial space rooted in emotional resonance. The project seeks to carve a distinctive trajectory for the evolution of future public realms.
As China Resources Land's fourth product line—following MIXC, MIXC One, and MIXC World—MIXC VILLAGE is also the first premium outlet village within the MIXC portfolio. It brings together a diverse mix of fashion retail, social dining, sports-and-outdoor brands, and lifestyle programming.
Covering approximately 100,000 m², the master plan comprises 14 street-based commercial blocks and one shopping-centre building, forming an open-air village framework. The design ambition is to move beyond the conventional, consumption-led vertical mall and instead create a vivid, resort-like destination—where retail becomes one layer within a richer landscape of emotional experience.
Situated at the geometric heart of the Greater Bay Area’s “Golden Inner Bay,” the site carries a strategic role in shaping a “One-Hour Metropolitan Life Circle” between Dongguan and Shenzhen. The landscape design leverages the bay’s geographic advantage and synthesises local resources around a core mission: reclaiming vitality. This approach has shaped a distinctive coastal commercial retreat—a threshold where the city recedes and life unfolds.
By promoting the concept of an “Urban Micro-getaway,” the design aims to stimulate regional dynamism, leverage cross-city visitation within the Greater Bay Area, and broaden the spectrum of daily experiences for its residents. It weaves a soft, permeable edge into the fabric of metropolitan haste.
In this unconventional commercial venture, space is conceived as a vessel for emotion—designed to embrace and hold the collective sentiment of our times.
The overall master plan embraces the spatial texture of a coastal fishing village. The distinctive triangular-roof architecture, designed by Gianni Ranaulo, establishes a strong and recognisable silhouette across the site. The landscape scope extends across both ground-level and rooftop spaces.
In response to the project’s objectives, the landscape framework is guided by a clear logic: “high mobility on the ground, high dwell time on the roof.” This dual system diversifies the retail experience—encouraging active wandering at grade while creating destinations for pause and stay above. At ground level, the public realm is composed of an outer ring, an inner ring, a Y-axis signature street, and the Central Lake Plaza. The spatial strategy is articulated as “less on the outer edge, richer in the middle, and most distilled at the core,” shaping a gradient from peripheral movement to immersive central experience.
Meanwhile, the project introduces a substantial yet curated planting palette—nearly 20 tree species (around 600 specimens), alongside over 130 species of shrubs and perennials. This botanical framework is deployed to compose distinctive planting scenes across different blocks, strengthening local identity and wayfinding legibility. Beyond aesthetics, the layered palette supports a resilient, biodiverse ecosystem, adding ecological depth to the village’s public realm.
Located approximately a 10-minute walk from the coastline, the site is framed by distinctive local assets—sunset light and afterglow skies, low-flying aircraft, and the drifting traces of contrails. These atmospheric elements were integrated into the landscape design from its inception, becoming defining features of the site’s character. Against this backdrop, the project is positioned as “China’s Only Coastal Outlet Village,” setting a tone of ease, romance, and quiet restoration. Narrative and scene-making were developed in tandem from the earliest concept phase, shaping a warm storyline—“The Summer That Never Ends”—to sustain a seaside holiday imagination.
Within this narrative, MIXC VILLAGE is envisioned as a storybook island tucked within the city—a hidden escape where every visitor becomes a “figure in the shadows,” stepping into a summer celebration that never draws to a close.
An Accidental Arrival
A Seaside Holiday
Time slows its pace here.
Sunlight warms the skin to a gentle blush.
In the blaze of noon, the shoreline glitters—
a thin, bright shimmer on the water.
Beneath parasols in crisp, vivid colours,
laughter breaks open like light.
Tree trunks sway, answering the breeze.
The scent of lemon drifts through the lens.
Ice cream softens in a warm hand,
melting—slowly, sweetly—
leaving only laziness and goodness behind.
Beach. Breeze. Green shade. Reef-stone.
Sunsets without end.
A finer kind of sensing—
where vitality becomes something you can see.
Summer, never ending.
Outer Ring | Arrival on the Sea Breeze
At approximately 200 metres in length, the Outer Ring forms the project’s primary civic edge, shaping two signature urban frontages. The east reads as more coastal and atmospheric, while the west is quieter and more refined. Four gateways punctuate the perimeter- each composed as a distinct arrival scene through site-specific art, bespoke paving, and oversized planting gestures- creating clear landmarks and lasting first impressions.
Inspired by the "traces left by a sea breeze," the overall outer interface features undulating green slopes. These landforms gently lift the iconic white triangular roofs and support the illusion of floating "art clouds" suspended overhead, collectively composing the first, defining vista upon "island" arrival.
Functionally, a 100-meter-long sloped verge seamlessly integrates non-motorized lanes, public transit stops, and discreet service access. This design intervention transforms a typically disordered urban utility zone into a pure, wave-like green line. At the street corners, these slopes transition into pockets of restful green space, serving as "life harbors" - quiet pauses for the surrounding community within the bustling commercial context.
Conceived as the heart of the site, Central Coast is imagined as the village core of the “island.” It brings together a 1,200 m² central lake water-show arena, a 600 m² sunken lawn, a 300 m² interactive water feature, and a shaded grove plaza that can accommodate approximately 50 sets of event seating.
A sequence of open, interconnected spaces supports a rich range of programming, inviting visitors to move, pause, gather, and fully inhabit the island’s evolving scenes.
At the base of the central lake, a 100 m² circular stage is set within the pool. The stage perimeter is conceived as a height-adjustable, light-and-shadow interactive artwork- “Moon Ring”- which plays a pivotal role during the water-show performances.
When the show is not in operation, the lake returns to a calm, reflective surface. A gentle wave-making installation introduces subtle movement, offering visitors a quiet, island-like sense of coastal serenity.
When the water show begins, the entire Central Coast is transformed into a spectacle of water and light. The renowned French aquatic choreography team, BK-International, has meticulously crafted distinct water show scenarios for both daytime and evening hours. These choreographed performances, which evolve throughout the day, create an enchanting and immersive atmosphere that captivates visitors and invites prolonged engagement.
At the meeting line of lawn and water, two island-like platforms are introduced as lookout and photo moments. The area is further animated by plaza furnishings in a "sunset orange" palette, reinforcing the warm coastal atmosphere.
The grove plaza and splash zone are conceived as open, lively settings. Under the trees, movable seating can be freely arranged to suit different groups and preferences, while scattered “play islands” host a range of fountain interactions. By contrast, the sunken lawn is wrapped by stone-carved seating, forming a more inward, cohesive gathering core for events and shared activity.
Core Y-Axis | The Grand Avenue
At the heart of the "island," the 70-metre Grand Avenue is structured by a procession of eight monumental date palms, forming a calm, legible allée. One side opens generously to the Central Lake Plaza, while the other addresses a more atmospheric square shaded by Livistona palms.
Intentionally restrained and symmetrical, the space is conceived as a quiet void—a piece of breathing room within the village that leaves capacity for changing scenes. It offers a timeless setting today, and a ready stage for future retail programming, performances, and public gatherings.
Core Y-Axis | Water Street (Waterside Promenade)
Conceived as a "slow-motion beach" sequence, Water Street is the most resort-like district within the village- framing a clear visual relationship between the central water "island" and the sunset at the street's end.
In shaping the scene, arching fan palms introduce a tropical warmth, while soft, cloud-like sea-coral planting amplifies an easy, unhurried atmosphere. The pool base is finished in warm off-white terrazzo, bringing out the shallow, translucent blues of the water. Underfoot, a coarser pebble-aggregate surface evokes the grain of a natural beach, while embedded marine-fossil-like aggregates offer small moments of discovery along the walk.
The dialogue between gloss and grit reinterprets material refinement—finding delicacy not only in polish, but also in texture.
Core Y-Axis | Rock Street
Rock Street is imagined as "small houses growing out of a reef shore," with a low-saturation bay-cliff grey setting the tonal baseline. Across the district, more than ten varieties of natural stone are employed- from paving to façade- where the stone’s hue, grain, porosity, and surface sheen are carefully composed as primary design considerations.
Spatially, the push-and-pull of storefront lines creates opportunities for pocket gardens at multiple scales. Within these interstices, rock plinths, oversized planters, and reef-like seating are introduced as points of encounter- embedding a playful dialogue between landscape and retail.
In many commercial landscapes, restroom courtyards are often treated as residual back-of-house zones- grey, overlooked, and passive. Yet they are also among the most frequently used spaces, where visitors naturally pause and wait. Here, they are deliberately reimagined as curated destinations rather than afterthoughts.
Extending the overall experiential tone of MIXC VILLAGE, the design transforms this functional interval into two distinct, sunlit garden moments—small retreats that make waiting feel intentional, bright, and pleasurable.
The garden is themed around lemon and grape, translating the fruit-scented character of an island into a quietly restorative setting. Rustic, tactile walls are paired with more than ten varieties of soft, theme-led flowering plants, while the colour and texture of the resting furniture are carefully calibrated to reinforce an atmosphere of ease. Pet needs are also thoughtfully accommodated, ensuring the courtyard supports a fuller spectrum of everyday use.
The Inner Loop Lanes host three retail clusters- Sports & Outdoors, International Boutiques, and Domestic Designers. As one of the village’s fastest-moving corridors, the design choreographs circulation within a linear band 8–18 metres wide. A 3.5-metre “fast lane” runs through the loop, efficiently stitching the three clusters together.
Flanking this primary route, slower zones are shaped for browsing. Pocket gardens and corner pause platforms deliberately soften the pace, creating moments to linger, meet, and explore.
To strengthen identity and wayfinding, each lane carries a sea-inspired motif: Ripples for Sports & Outdoors, Bubbles for International Boutiques, and Cracking for Domestic Designers—three distinct signatures that make the inner loop immediately legible.
“Zero-Cost Romance” for the Greater Bay Area
The rooftop landscape reclaims non-commercial terraces as a key destination layer of the project. To foreground the site’s local atmospheres—sunset light and afterglow skies, aircraft overhead, and drifting contrails—the roof is organised as four themed “islands”: a Beach Lounge Isle, a Sunset Skate Park, a Bubble Play Island, and a Pet Island. Together, they propose a form of “zero-cost romance”—everyday, accessible moments of escape for Greater Bay Area residents.
In contrast to the ground level’s timeless, classic restraint, the rooftop shifts into a more celebratory register: playful, active, and vividly scenographic. The colour palette follows suit, adopting brighter tones such as Coastal Blue and Sunset Orange to heighten the energy of each recreational scene.
Vital Rooftop | Sunset Soirée
Closest to the coastline, the southern rooftop offers the site's clearest sunset panorama. Two themed destinations- Beach Lounge Isle and the Sunset Skate Park—extend the seaside atmosphere upward, shaping settings for conversation, strolling, and sport.
The 1,000 m² Beach Lounge Isle combines a dreamlike sand beach, a lounge lawn, and a series of sunset viewing pockets for pause and retreat. Adjacent to it, the Sunset Skate Park forms a youthful gathering ground, composed of a 500 m² bowl and a 700 m² event lawn for flexible programming.
Each evening, the roof reads as a gentle dialogue between stillness and motion: visitors settle into the sand while skaters carve through the afterglow, both held in the warmth of dusk light.
Vital Rooftop | Bubble Island & Pet Island
Bubble Island is a nature-led children’s garden conceived without fixed play equipment—where grassy mounds and light-and-shadow become the simplest companions. Irregular lines across the ground draw inspiration from a child’s doodled strokes. Through this graphic field, the design frames views of sky and sunlight, and as the day moves on, shadows drift and redraw the surface—creating a dynamic scene that evolves in quiet dialogue with nature.
Pet Island is home to a white West Highland White Terrier named Lele. Drawing inspiration from “Lele and Friends,” the design introduces a new set of pet toys themed around marine elements, adding playful coastal character to the island’s pet-friendly realm.
In an era where online commerce increasingly dominates, physical places are reclaiming their relevance through something digital platforms cannot replicate: lived, spatial experience. Space itself is continually redefined as social values evolve and patterns of behaviour shift.
We believe that story becomes content, behaviour becomes scene, and experience becomes life. The completion of drawings is only the beginning, not the end. A truly vital place continues to grow after it is built—gaining new narratives and warmth through ongoing interaction with people.
Project Information
Project Name: MIXC VILLAGE, Dongguan
Location: Binhaiwan New District, Dongguan, China
Site Area: 10.7 ha
Client: China Resources Land
Completion: 2025
Landscape Design: Change Studio
Landscape Construction Documents: Shenzhen Hongrui Landscape Design Co., Ltd
Landscape Construction: Chongqing Jisheng Ecological Landscaping Co., Ltd & Sichuan Zhonghui Landscape Engineering Co., Ltd & Huayuan Landscape Architecture Co.,LTD
Outdoor Landscape Styling / FF&E: Tifan Design& Yuanye Creative
Planting Display / Flower Borders: Shenzhen Benmodu Landscape Design Co., Ltd
Architecture: Gianni Ranaulo Design & AICO & China Academy of Building Research
Interior Design: ATELIER GLOW (Atelier Glow Limited)
Installation Design: PILLS Mirror (Beijing) Architectural Design Consulting Co., Ltd
Landscape BIM: Beijing Aoyi United Decoration Design Co., Ltd
Façade / Curtain Wall Design: PAG Façade Design Co., Ltd
Lighting Design: TS Lighting Design Firm
Wayfinding / Signage Design: Space Agency Design Limited & Shenzhen Tiance Planning & Design Co., Ltd
Water Feature Consultant: Shenzhen Jishui Industry Co., Ltd
Water Show Direction: OUTPUT & BK-International & Shanghai Chengqu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd
Water Show Construction & Programming: Beijing Aquatic Art Technology Co., Ltd
Civil Works Contractor: Shenzhen Construction Group Co., Ltd
Curtain Wall Construction: Guangzhou Jangho Curtain Wall System Engineering Co., Ltd & Shenzhen Guangsheng Curtain Wall Technology Co., Ltd
Photography: Wang Ning & Holi & E-ar TARS & DID STUDIO & Shein Atlas
