Generation of Phenomenal Interior Quality from Refurbishment of Commercial Spaces in Residential Areas

Abstract

Commercial buildings in the residential districts are under rapid redevelopment because retail shopping activities are being replaced by community service, education, eating and dinning and experiential activities in China. This paper revealed three interior refurbishment projects aiming to recreating interior public spaces. Interior fitting has rapidly grown in the building industry. Product suppliers provide strong support for construction quality and intervene in architectural design decisions. Interior design, as independent work, promotes effective dialogue with clients, users and suppliers in the design process. It is a platform for quality by understanding the texture, lighting and atmosphere as the key area of control in design. The interior design of three projects of Baumschlager Eberle Architekten (BEA) Hong Kong Ltd, transforms the common areas of shopping centres in residential areas into interior public spaces. The paper introduces and evaluates the design methods of BEA architects to present and control design quality, especially for interior public spaces. The territory, material, visibility, rhythms and use and overall interior atmosphere are analysed with case studies based on the literature review on outdoor public spaces. The paper concludes that interior refurbishment is an independent level of design in the recreating “publicness” in existing building structure. Only when conceptually free from the constraints of structure and façade can unique atmospheres be achieved through design, opening up further intervention in future.