Park+, TOD, Urban Renewal… Is Xi’an’s Happiness Forest Belt the Dark Horse of the “Park+” Commercial Scene?
For brick-and-mortar retail, 2024 is shaping up to be a year of challenges and transformation.The legendary “Fat Donglai makeover” is still the talk of the industry; non-standard commercial projects driven by urban renewal are emerging rapidly; the “relaxed-living economy” keeps trending, while emotional-value consumption continues to grow in influence.Meanwhile, anime culture and the “Park+” model have become a “lifeline” for businesses seeking to escape sameness.Although physical retail faces headwinds this year, several business formats remain firmly in the spotlight—most notably “Park+” retail, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) retail, and urban-renewal-driven commercial hubs.
The dual empowerment of parks and retail offers strong emotional value and activates scenario-based spending.In modern cities, parks deliver ecological benefits, while retail provides consumption value.Today these two once-parallel development curves are converging.On one hand, the retail industry has entered a stock-era where malls must seek differentiated innovation to break free from internal competition.On the other, many municipal parks are exploring ways to create greater economic impact.From a design and experience perspective, physical retail increasingly emphasizes immersive, interactive environments.
The green ecological foundation of city parks naturally complements retail projects, helping to build relaxing, vacation-style destinations that drive scenario consumption and attract crowds.From the consumer side, the popularity of park-integrated retail stems largely from its creation of an open, pressure-free space where people of all social groups can unwind, breathe freely, and melt away fatigue and stress.Looking ahead, this trend is set to continue and strengthen, becoming a key entry point for commercial innovation.
Thailand’s Mega Bangna introduced two landmark attractions: the “Valley” Mega Food Walk in 2017 and the eco-themed Mega Park in 2019.Inside the mall, visitors can admire small waterfalls cascading down stone steps, vertically stacked rock walls, and climbing greenery.Through creative design, the project creates a natural, relaxing retail atmosphere, effectively softening the commercial vibe and transforming the space into a beloved leisure destination for the local community.In 2019, Singapore Changi Airport unveiled Jewel Changi, designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie.It features the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and the Forest Valley, which houses over 2,000 trees and palms plus hundreds of thousands of shrubs, attracting visitors from around the globe to snap photos and check in.That same year in Japan, Minami Machida Grandberry Park, located in the southern part of Machida City on the outskirts of Tokyo, debuted as a community hub integrating “station + retail + park”.Converted from an old railway station, it pioneered a new model that replaces the traditional station plaza with a station-front rural-style commercial complex.
Within just 12 days of opening, foot traffic surpassed 1 million visitors.
Soon after, the park-style retail trend quietly spread to China.Post-pandemic, lifestyles and consumption habits have shifted: people crave outdoor activities and open spaces, seek to escape high-pressure urban living, and increasingly pursue a healthy lifestyle.Buzzwords like Citywalk, Relaxed Vibes, and Micro-Vacation have flooded social media, while the “20-Minute Park” concept has become a go-to self-healing ritual for urban youth.Positioned as a “One-Day Micro-Vacation”, Shanghai Nanxiang Impression City MEGA, which opened in 2020, went viral for its miniature tropical rainforest design.In just two years, more park-style commercial landmarks followed, including Chongqing Ring (Guanghuan), Chengdu REGULAR Yuanye, and Shanghai Suhewan MixC World, igniting a nationwide park-retail boom.According to incomplete statistics from Winshang.com, 2024 alone saw the launch of multiple park-style commercial projects that quickly became popular check-in destinations, such as:Shenzhen Dayun Tiandi.Shenzhen Bantian Vanke Plaza.Chengdu Cidi Cypark.Fuzhou Zuohai·Lightyear PARK.Quzhou Luming Island Intime inPARK.These projects are rapidly gaining traction and reshaping China’s urban retail landscape.
These projects have gone viral because they precisely capture the needs of today’s young generation, who—amid fierce social competition and industry-wide “involution”—are desperate for a space that offers relaxation, free breathing, and an escape from mounting pressure and anxiety.As park-style retail continues to evolve, new-generation malls now have a deeper understanding of the “Park+” concept: it’s no longer about simply bringing greenery or fountains indoors, but about growing commercial spaces directly inside parks or seamlessly linking with outdoor green spaces, delivering a genuine “strolling through a park” shopping experience.TOD as a Key Urban Commercial ForceCommerce thrives on people flow, and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects are among the most powerful traffic magnets.For large-scale, high-end retail complexes, the goal is to expand their catchment area, reduce the travel cost for consumers, and maximize the “siphon effect”.Even in economic downcycles, the TOD development model remains a prized asset for major cities and top developers, widely regarded as a critical engine for transforming urban commerce.Industry estimates place China’s TOD market size at nearly ¥5 trillion (about USD 700 billion), with steady annual growth.
Looking at global benchmark TOD projects, such as Japan’s Shinjuku Station, London’s King’s Cross, New York’s World Trade Center, Singapore’s Orchard Road integrated complex, and Hong Kong’s International Finance Centre (IFC), we see how multi-dimensional TOD–retail integration creates new economic, cultural, and artistic landmarks.Shinjuku Station: The Early PioneerAs an early exemplar of TOD, Shinjuku Station in Tokyo integrates five major railways and nine intersecting subway lines, forming a massive transit network with a daily passenger volume of 3.4 million and over 200 exits that connect seamlessly to surrounding buildings and street-level zones.Leveraging this transport hub, Shinjuku has become a commercial powerhouse: iconic retailers such as Isetan Department Store and Odakyu Department Store are directly linked to the station.This integration transformed what was once a peripheral suburban area into a major urban sub-center, efficiently utilizing underground space and existing land resources to create a “third place” between home and office.Within just five years, land prices around Shinjuku Station surged by 37%, underscoring the immense value of TOD-driven commercial development.
Hong Kong Kowloon Station TOD: A World-Class Model
Hong Kong—an international metropolis covering only 1,113 sq km yet home to more than 7 million people—is one of the densest cities on the planet.Despite its extreme population density, the city maintains remarkably smooth transportation, thanks to its exceptionally high public-transit usage rate.A classic example of Hong Kong’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is Kowloon Station.This landmark project adopts a “rail operation + property development” joint model, with the High-Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus, the West Kowloon Bus Terminal, and the MTR Kowloon Station as its core transit hub.It integrates 1 high-speed rail line, 4 MTR subway lines, and 11 bus stations, creating a vibrant urban center that combines work, commerce, culture, education, and residential living.As the project reached maturity, the property value of the entire TOD site soared.A horizontal price comparison with nearby residential developments that are close to a subway station but lack full TOD integration shows a striking difference:Kowloon Station TOD properties appreciated by 40%–70%,
while surrounding non-TOD properties rose only 15%–20%,leaving a 25%–50% value gap.This highlights the powerful advantage of rail-transit integration, and explains why many mainland Chinese cities now elevate TOD to a core urban strategy and a key pillar of sustainable development.The rapid expansion of urban rail systems is providing fertile ground for commercial growth across China.According to Winshang’s incomplete statistics, there are already nearly 700 broad-definition TOD commercial projects nationwide, spread across 38 cities, with about 100 more planned to open.Urban Renewal: Balancing Neighborhood Vitality with Quality Living.Urban renewal is an inevitable stage of mature urbanization.Its essence lies in the renewal of lifestyles.
The success of a commercial urban-renewal project hinges on whether it can precisely and sensitively capture shifts in people’s needs and then deliver tailored functions and services that reinvigorate entrenched living patterns—striking the perfect balance between street-level vibrancy (“fireworks atmosphere”) and refined quality of life.
Zhejiang Wen’er Market: From Traditional Produce to Trendy Hotspot
The Zhejiang Wen’er Farmers’ Market—formerly the Wen’er Street Agricultural Products Market—has served Hangzhou’s West Lake District for over 20 years, traditionally catering to a middle-aged and senior clientele.
After a thoughtful upgrade, the market retained its original 89 stall owners while adding:13 new storefronts along the street,a Song-Dynasty-inspired food street,and an overall 23% increase in vendor count.The result? A once-ordinary wet market has become a viral foodie and travel destination, so popular that vendor spaces are again “hard to come by.”Xi’an Xingfu Forest Belt: China’s First “Park+” Commercial PioneerNationwide, few projects rival Xi’an’s Xingfu Forest Belt in its triple advantages:the relaxed ambiance of a park,the seamless convenience of the metro, andthe vibrant street-life energy of urban renewal.As Xi’an’s only true “Park+” commercial landmark, Xingfu Forest Belt has drawn intense industry attention for its scarcity value and forward-thinking master plan.The project fuses five major elements—surface landscaping, underground space, municipal roads, an integrated utility tunnel, and metro infrastructure—into a vertical urban forest that blends:municipal facilities,public buildings,cultural venues,natural resources, andcomprehensive retail.Such a multi-layered combination is unprecedented in China’s old-city redevelopment.
Xi’an’s First Vertical Urban Forest
According to city data, the Xingfu Forest Belt stretches 5.85 km, with an average width of 210 m and a total area of about 1,843 mu (≈304 acres).It boasts an 85% green-coverage rate and spans three major districts: Xincheng, Yanta, and Baqiao.This makes it the world’s largest underground-space mixed-use project and China’s largest urban landscape green belt.At ground level, lush plantings merge with public amenities, creating a living urban garden painting that satisfies residents’ and tourists’ needs for leisure, sightseeing, and diverse outdoor experiences.Within an underground space of nearly 800,000 ㎡, the project has created 23 sunken plazas and opened 34 “raindrop”-shaped atriums.Inside the commercial district, there is an open space roughly every 100 meters, bringing sunlight, fresh air, and greenery into the underground area and completely overturning the long-held impression of “oppressive, cramped” subterranean environments.
The result is a leisurely, trend-forward chill experience for city residents.“One-Click Connection” to Metro Line 8—Joining the TOD Commercial LeagueOn December 26, with the opening of Xi’an’s first large city loop, the Metro Line 8—known as the “King of Transfers”—the Happy Forest Belt (Xingfu Lintai) seamlessly “one-click connects” to five Line 8 stations, officially stepping into China’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) commercial sector.Xi’an Metro Line 8 has 37 stations in total; five of these link directly to the B2 underground level of the Happy Forest Belt and also allow transfers to Line 1 and Line 6. This scale is virtually unmatched nationwide, effectively improving the project’s previous challenges of long pedestrian flows and overly scattered nodes for leisure, wellness, entertainment, sightseeing, and shopping.Together with the extra-large underground parking facility, the metro connection greatly enhances the surrounding traffic environment, offering consumers a far more convenient transportation experience.
According to Xi’an Metro data, the first day of Line 8 operation saw 733,000 passenger trips, setting a national record for a new metro line’s opening-day ridership. These riders are expected to become an incremental customer base for the Happy Forest Belt, bringing sustained foot traffic.The metro launch further accelerates the formation of the area’s “One Belt, Two Cores, Four Clusters” spatial layout, creating strong industrial synergies and development dividends for the commercial zone.Currently, major projects within the business district are progressing rapidly:The CSCEC Northwest Innovation & Research Center was completed in March 2024.
The completed Xi’an JianDa Technology Park, Qinchuan Innovation Valley, and New City Integrated Innovation Park now provide essential space and fertile ground for tech-innovation firms, small businesses, and university technology transfer.Additional landmark projects—Xi’an Intime Center, Transfar Smart Logistics Northwest Operations Center, and Baidu Marketing Northwest Service Center—have all been launched and are under active development.Transportation advantages and planning dividends are already triggering positive market feedback.Notably, in the Happy Forest Belt’s residential sector, CSCEC Yuelu·Xingfu Sequence Luxury Life Club achieved phenomenal sales upon its New Year launch, swiftly rising to become Xi’an’s No. 2 best-selling residential project.In the foreseeable future, the city, industries, and transportation will continue to develop in synergy, injecting a large, high-quality customer base into the Happy Forest Belt commercial district and driving its high-quality growth.Yet the key challenge remains: how to capture this “sky-high” traffic and convert pure “transportation flow” into tangible “economic growth.”
Delivering the Urban Commercial Renewal Answer Sheet
Having endured renovation hurdles, weathered the pandemic cycle, and even experimented with entrusted management before regaining full operational control in January 2024, the Happy Forest Belt now has a crystal-clear strategy.Rebuilding a forest belt in the old city center is not merely about planting greenery—it is about creating a multifunctional urban space that carries the emotional memories of old Xi’an residents, while also meeting the emotional and lifestyle needs of younger generations, offering a leisurely, “small-joy” strolling experience.Leveraging its park-style commercial DNA and sharp insight into shifting social demands, the Happy Forest Belt positions itself as “Xi’an’s first breathing-style commercial district.”
Through a simultaneous operation-and-renovation model, it refreshes commercial scenes and fills the city’s gap in laid-back, healing-style retail experiences.A long-term view reveals that many issues once debated by consumers are gradually being resolved. With an “update-a-day” renovation pace, the project keeps refreshing visitors’ visual impressions and service experiences.Over the past half year, a string of youth-friendly attractions have quietly appeared across themed plazas:Internet-famous bridges.Graffiti walls.Rainbow staircases & piano staircases.MBTI-themed photo spots. (fireside tea brewing).CASA art space.National Geographic China exhibition, and more.An upgraded under-forest playground with non-powered facilities further expands the customer base.Looking to 2025 and Beyond
In 2025, the Happy Forest Belt will further focus on family-friendly, sports-friendly, pet-friendly, and art-empowered offerings—continuing to diversify formats that fit evolving lifestyles and consumption trends.The renewed Happy Forest Belt thus fulfills the 70-year promise of “returning the forest to the people,” while adding greater service functions and emotional connections. Its construction and opening are not only a historical restoration of the “forest belt” but also a living experiment in organic urban renewal, spurring old-town revitalization and regional industrial transformation.In this “exam room” of urban commercial renewal, consumers are the most fitting graders. According to data, within two months of the team taking over, visitor traffic grew nearly 60% year-on-year.In 2024 alone, total foot traffic surpassed 22.02 million, including 5.88 million commercial visitors and 16.14 million park visitors.
Xi’an’s Rich Commercial Tapestry
Xi’an, a 13-dynasty ancient capital, is naturally steeped in deep historical culture, giving its commercial projects endless stories. The city’s retail scene showcases:Cultural tourism hubs like Great Tang All Day Mall and Chang’an Twelve Hours, blending local heritage with creative tourism.High-end competitors such as MixC and SKP.Rising new-generation creative venues—from Xiaozhai Intime City to Xiaozhai Force Field—driven by anime (ACG) and youth culture.These vibrant examples make Xi’an’s commercial narrative richer and more colorful. Yet the city’s weighty history also creates a need for relaxing, decompressing spaces. In this sense, the Happy Forest Belt has strong potential to be a “park+ commerce” dark horse in Xi’an.
Awakening a 70-Year “Super Century Project”
Facing Xi’an’s evolving retail landscape, how can the Happy Forest Belt fully leverage its powerful natural DNA to awaken the vitality of this 70-year-old mega-project, and inject new life into a city where ancient culture meets modern development? This question remains under close watch.However, whether we speak of park-style commerce, TOD, or urban renewal retail models, following mainstream trends alone does not guarantee breakout success. It depends on a comprehensive mix of location, scale, transport accessibility, planning, and operational strength.To truly create transformative lifestyles, developers must take a human-centric, personalized approach, deeply exploring the needs and preferences of diverse consumer groups to craft scenes and content that satisfy both material and emotional desires.In short, only compelling commercial content allows a commercial story to endure.