Taikoo Li Qiantan earns Mall of the Year - China at Retail Asia Awards 2024

Swire Properties' Shanghai marvel blends wellness and luxury in an unprecedented retail experience.

Taikoo Li Qiantan, a groundbreaking retail development by Swire Properties, has been honoured with the Mall of the Year - China award at the Retail Asia Awards 2024. This accolade recognises the mall's exceptional contribution to redefining retail in China, focusing on wellness, sustainability, and an unparalleled shopping experience.

Situated in the bustling Qiantan International Business District of Pudong, Shanghai, Taikoo Li Qiantan represents a collaboration between Swire Properties and Lujiazui Group. The mall’s innovative open-plan and lane-driven architectural design has set a new standard in the industry, attracting a diverse mix of approximately 280 shops that span luxury retail, high-end fashion, dining, entertainment, lifestyle, health, and the arts.

In 2023, as the global economy rebounded from the pandemic, Taikoo Li Qiantan saw remarkable growth. Retail sales and gross rental income surged by 79% and 22%, respectively. This growth was further bolstered by the opening of several high-profile stores, including the first Dior Café in the Chinese Mainland, the first Hennessy flagship store in Asia, and the first Muji flagship store with a marché in the Chinese Mainland. Other notable openings included Tiffany & Co., Le Labo, Huawei, Perfume de Marly’s first flagship store in Shanghai, and Snowpeak. By the end of 2023, 98% of the retail space had been committed, with 95% of the lettable space already in operation.

Swire Properties' Taikoo Li Qiantan not only exemplifies innovative retail design but also underscores the importance of integrating wellness and sustainability into the consumer experience. This award celebrates Taikoo Li Qiantan’s role in pioneering a new era of retail that prioritises health, sustainability, and luxury. Taikoo Li Qiantan has cemented its status as a premium lifestyle landmark in Shanghai by promoting its unique concept of “TLQ’s Wellness Lifestyle.” This concept resonates particularly well with Millennials and Gen-Z, offering them a world-class shopping experience. In 2023 alone, the mall co-hosted over 300 events with strategic partners, tenants, and third parties, achieving a PR value of approximately RMB927.8m. It also ranked amongst the top three shopping malls in Shanghai on major social media platforms like RED and Dianping.

During the 22nd China Shanghai International Arts Festival, Taikoo Li Qiantan co-hosted the inaugural “Let’s Art Well” Art Festival with Meta Media Group. This festival transformed the mall into a public art curator, displaying nearly 50 art installations, paintings, sculptures, videos, AI-generated artworks, and metaverse pieces from 30 contemporary artists. Highlights included Hofman’s tailor-made installation and the museum-level photography exhibition “Horst P. Horst: Photographer of Style” from the Victoria and Albert Museum. This project was nominated as a finalist for the 2024 ICSC MAXI awards.

Central to Taikoo Li Qiantan’s ethos is the health and wellbeing of its occupants and visitors. The mall’s design, inspired by “naturalism,” seamlessly blends natural elements with contemporary architecture. It became the first shopping mall globally to achieve WELL Core Platinum certification, demonstrating excellence in health-focused building standards. Additionally, it received LEED Gold certification for its sustainability practices, which include real-time air quality monitoring, water-saving appliances, energy-efficient water pumps and fans, and high-performance glass to maximise natural light.

The key achievements of Taikoo Li Qiantan include being the world’s first shopping mall to earn WELL Core Platinum certification from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and obtaining LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The mall’s commitment to promoting wellness through its design and operations sets a benchmark in the retail industry.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the Retail industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].