The Oval is a newly-opened mall in the Chinese city of Chongqing with a multi-purpose approach, bringing art and wellness together alongside retail.
Art installations are dispersed across the estate, and a series of digital artworks created by emerging young artists can be viewed through shoppers’ phones. Part of the mall is dedicated to OR, a multi-dimensional fashion complex that will incubate various art projects and monetise them in what it calls an “art-plus-commerce” model.
The strong presence of art at The Oval is part of the mission to provide a space that serves not just commerce but a broader fulfilment of locals’ cultural and physical needs.
Much of the estate is dedicated to sports and fitness, with a running track and walking path winding around The Oval’s shops and venues, joining a skate park, shooting club, indoor extreme sports playground, bowling alley and children’s playground. This creates a comprehensive offer providing the city’s residents with opportunities for exercise and socialising.
A significant proportion of the mall’s retail space has been given to young, independent brands to give them a physical footprint as Chinese consumers increasingly turn to home-grown fashion labels and other brands.
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