City Observer – Hangzhou’s OōEli Art Park

In April, Adrien Brody, after winning another Oscar for his performance in Brutalist, visited Hangzhou, once again highlighting the city’s rich cultural heritage, storied history, and natural beauty. Beyond its renowned scenery and traditional attractions, Hangzhou has long been a major commercial hub, famously described by Marco Polo as “the most luxurious city in the world.”

Following in Brody’s footsteps, I took a one-day trip to Hangzhou, eager to explore it from a different angle. This time, I deliberately chose to visit OōEli Art Park, a site that has already generated over 120,000 posts on Red Note (Xiaohongshu). Rather than repeating the buzz about its design and concept, which has been widely discussed since its opening, I aimed to observe the space through my own experience and distill a few insights on how successful space branding can be achieved.

First, OōEli Art Park has created a symbiosis among brands and retailers. Every brand seems to harmonize under a consistent aesthetic tone, evident in both store designs and product displays. Fascinatingly, even the customers seem to align unintentionally with the overall style — their outfits and movements blending seamlessly into the environment. It feels as if the entire space has organically grown, rather than being artificially constructed.

Second, I was impressed by how art is integrated into the very tapestry of the park. Wherever you go within OōEli, art is omnipresent — not merely decorative, but essential to the space’s identity. The developers’ decision to include a museum elevates the entire complex, blending cultural elements into the experience and setting it apart from other commercial projects in the city.

Third, the landscape and greenery deserve special mention. Thanks to the generous green spaces, you don’t feel the typical stress that often comes with dense high-rise developments. Instead, OōEli embraces Hangzhou’s legacy as a “city of gardens,” flawlessly weaving this local identity into its spatial design. In doing so, it creates a memorable experience that stands out amid the homogenized commercial landscapes increasingly common across China.

The highlight of my visit was discovering The Row’s store — currently the brand’s only store in mainland China. Tucked away in a private lounge on the ninth floor, the store feels like a hidden princess, occupying a spacious and discreetly luxurious setting. The sales staff, well-trained and visibly proud, explained that it took multiple rounds of negotiations to bring this understated, high-end brand to Hangzhou. The space itself is meticulously curated, furnished with pieces from renowned designers. Rather than a typical retail store, it feels more like a private showroom, curated for those truly “in the know.” True to The Row’s discreet brand tone, this lounge is never loudly advertised or promoted openly; unless you ask, the staff will never even mention it.