High-end mall set to open in Beijing's Wangfujing

WF Central, a high-end shopping mall developed by Hongkong Land, is set to open in Wangfujing commercial area of Beijing on Nov 28, marking the latest development in this traditional commercial region.

About 100 world-famous brands will be housed in the 150,000 square-meters of building to meet the demands of young generation.

They will include more than 23 restaurants and bars, including Michelin Japanese-style barbecue, Cantonese-style food and Hong Kong cafe that was first to enter Chinese mainland, said Raymond Chow, executive president of Hongkong Land Ltd, listed property investment, management and development group, also investor of the mall.

The first four floors will have high-end retailers. Luxury hotel brand Mandarin Oriental, which will open in the second half of 2018, will occupy the fifth and sixth floors.

A glass-made skywalk bridge will connect the eastern and western building, where parties, fashion shows, or even basketball games can be held in the future, Chow said.

The underground garage will have space for 660 cars, he added.

As a cluster of Chinese time-honored brands with a history of more than 700 years, Wangfujing plays a unique role in the capital's commercial circle, said Liu Bing, chairman of the chamber of commerce of Wangfujing.

The element of culture needs to be emphasized to provide a richer experience for customers while shopping, Liu said.

In this sense, Chow, from Hongkong Land, said the design of the new shopping mall referred to some traditional Chinese architectural philosophy, such as that in the building of porch and quadrangle courtyard.

The company invested $1 billion last year to the project.