Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Lukstudio Draws on Open-Air Market Aesthetics for a Modern Grocery in Changsha, China

Lukstudio Draws on Open-Air Market Aesthetics for a Modern Grocery in Changsha, China

A trip to the grocery store is hardly as enticing as one to an outdoor market, but design firm Lukstudio set out to challenge this notion.

In creating The Assembled Market in Changsha, China, for the region's new supermarket brand, Fresh Mart, the design team envisioned a contemporary gathering space that offers more than meticulously stacked shelves. "Growing up in Hong Kong, I have always loved the experience at Dai Pai Dong-a name we called these ad-hoc structures in wet market or a street corner where local dishes are served," says Christina Luk, founder and director of Lukstudio. "In fact, throughout Asia, outdoor street markets are often where you encounter authentic local delights and cultures, as opposed to most cookie-cutter supermarkets."

To invite a similar sense of discovery indoors, Luk and her team referenced the aesthetics of outdoor markets, creating a streamlined space that functions as a shopping destination. Located next to several high-end residential compounds in a newly developed area of the city, the expansive store also features a restaurant and café area, conceived as an open-air food stall, defined by bamboo tables, rattan chairs, and wooden lattices. Above the fresh fruits and vegetables hangs a series of metal mesh canopies. "We wanted to create the experience of walking down the aisles in a local Chinese outdoor market full of hanging tarpaulins," explains Luk. "So our take is a series of metal mesh canopies mimicking these temporary structures." Stacks of milk creates seen on the facade and in the dry goods section also serve as a nod to those used outdoors.

Given the popularity of ordering groceries online, Lukstudio set out to create a physical supermarket that enables customers to build a sense of community, away from their screens. "Our intent was to create a modern supermarket with a sense of Chinese traditions, but without the look of a stage set. To achieve the visual balance, we took an assembly approach," Luk shares, noting the project name. Each layer of the space, from the wooden frame that runs throughout to the palette of earthy hues, succeeds in transforming grocery shopping from a "must do" to a simple pleasure.



At the corner where the butchery turns into the fishmonger, apart from a lively wall graphic linking the sections, a material gradation along the counter intends to smooth the transition. Photography by Dirk Weiblen Photography.



The dining area is conceived as an open-air street food stall and lattice screens are used as a visually permeable barrier between dining and shopping, but also a unifying texture wrapping around counters and equipment. Photography by Dirk Weiblen Photography.



Bamboo tables, rattan chairs and flagstone pavers together compose a Chinese vernacular, recalling the memory of having humble yet authentic dishes at an outdoor local joint. Photography by Dirk Weiblen Photography.



At the bakery cabin, a grid extends from the gable roof structure and becomes the framework of an orderly bread display. Photography by Dirk Weiblen Photography.



By replacing corrugated panels into the purlin structure, the wooden frame gives form to a gable-roof cabin above the cafe, optimizing the original low-ceiling space with terraced seating. Photography by Dirk Weiblen Photography.



The street facade and the nearby dry goods section are marked by stacking milk crates, which convey a sense of order to the busy racks and double as a lighting feature at night. Photography by Dirk Weiblen Photography.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×