In June 2018, CDL, through its wholly-owned subsidiary CDL China Limited, marked another milestone in China with the official opening of HLCC mall (Hong Leong City Center mall or 丰隆汇). Spanning nearly 60,000 square metres in gross floor area, the mall is part of the Hong Leong City Center (HLCC or 丰隆城市中心) integrated development in Suzhou, China. This article was contributed by Ms Chen Yeqin, Deputy Marcom Manager at HLCC Mall, who was part of the opening team and oversees the mall's marketing, visual design and events.

Ms Chen Yeqin

According to the legend, on the night of 24th December, a mysterious man riding a sledge pulled by nine reindeers will go from house to house via the chimney and secretly leave the presents into the socks at the bedside of obedient children or beneath the Christmas tree beside the fireplace…

Yes, Christmas is here! We are always looking forward to the fairytale-like tranquil and beautiful Northern Europe, the dreamy northern lights, beautiful snow scenery and glittering Christmas trees. This December, HLCC mall, the leader of fashion and arts, will lead the entire Suzhou city to redefine Christmas, and in the name of ‘modern’ to realise the Christmas dreams of every individual.  

When it comes to driving foot traffic to any major contemporary shopping mall, the most important keywords are the ‘feeling of freshness’ and without doubt, HLCC mall has excelled in this aspect.

The grand opening of Gui Man Long (桂满陇), a restaurant with new concept reflected in antiquity

In tandem with the approaching Christmas season, HLCC mall played its trump card with the grand opening of Gui Man Long, the one-year-one-city and long-awaited Zhejiang Cuisine restaurant on November 30.

The restaurant’s name originates from one of the ten new iconic views one gets from the West Lake (西湖) in Zhejiang – ‘Sweet Osmanthus Rain at Manjuelong Village (滿隴桂雨)’. Stepping through the door, you will be brought back to the Southern Song Dynasty. Authentic dishes will be prepared for the boat feast based on 800 years of prosperity. The slates are shipped from Wuzhen, while utensils are manufactured in Jingde town and food menu is inscribed on a scroll of nearly a meter long. When the lanterns are brilliantly lit, it will be an encounter with the ancient dynasty, one to cherish.  

A bowl of white rice, a few traditional dishes, this is the authentic Jiangnan taste that allowed Gui Man Long to be crowned the phenomenal “King of Queues”.

Bringing you dreams and taste, Homa Garden (荷马花园) invites you to gaze at the Ferris wheel this December   
      
Regardless of who you are and where you are from, you will enjoy a moment of tranquillity as long as you step into Homa Garden. Perhaps during the Christmas season, this place will be the most peaceful and carefree place at HLCC mall.

Shoppers may order a cup of floral latte or fruit mousse and gaze at the Ferris wheel through the window, calming your mind, enjoying the peace and thinking into the future. The boss is always stationed in the store and willing to lend a listening ear to the customers. A dish is exchanged for a story, regardless it’s sad or happy, pleasant or depressing, just like the light snacks and beverages in the store. You can choose from a variety of selections, such as fermented soybean pasta, flounder, mango shaved ice, or yogurt strawberry smoothie. Homa Garden will be your best choice to escape the bustle of Christmas.

Born to be modern and extraordinary

For shopping malls, ‘feeling of freshness’ is not just about the opening of new shops. If Haichang Pet Theme Park, UME cinema, Champion ice skating rink, G-super or POYO gym have revitalised Suzhou’s fashion and trends, then the factor that makes HLCC stands out among the rest of the shopping malls in Suzhou is its own unique positioning of differentiation.

As the Chinese saying goes, “a beautiful appearance is not uncommon but an interesting soul is one in a million (好看的皮囊千篇一律，有趣的灵魂万里挑一)”. As the world leading capital giant, Hong Leong Group Singapore redefines the commercial mixed development of Suzhou with its international perspectives.

A famous Chinese contemporary artist, who is also the art consultant of Beijing Parkview Green, Mr Yang Tao was invited to inject aesthetic elements into the project. Hence, more than just a commercial mixed development, HLCC mall is also a lively art gallery.

The use of a wide coverage of glass curtain wall leverages on the beauty of Jinji Lake, allowing shoppers to experience the pleasure of seaside vacation with the oceanic and sailboat elements in the interior decorations. Transparent glass is also used on the roof, which gives a stunning view of the lake.

HLCC mall makes conscious efforts to understand the habits of the shoppers, and in a bid to design a routing that is resonable and efficient, a super high escalator spanning from first to fourth level was created, a first in Suzhou. This allows the shoppers to feel the way they perceive the world on the way up and experience their innermost wild desires on the way down.

The unique, modern and stylish appearance coupled with strong cultural influence of Singaporean characteristics originates from the modern and fashionable concept of HLCC mall.

The modern decoration display in HLCC mall takes creativity to the max

When it comes to Christmas, Christmas decoration display is like a competition among stores within the industry. This year, HLCC mall offers a feast for the eyes with the unique decorations.

The Christmas theme of HLCC mall is ‘modern’, with peacock blue and rose red as the main colour, decorated with both gold and silver and accompanied with the exquisite lighting, breaking through the traditional red and green colours of Christmas. With trendy mix of colours that are young and fashionable, HLCC mall is bound to attract internet celebrities and will definitely emerge as one of the famous check-in places for Christmas this year.

On December 1, the magnificent Christmas light-up event was held, accompanied by the first ‘snowfall’ in Suzhou. HLCC mall has also brought the modern and fantasy Christmas fairytale to Jinji Lake, with many adults and children checking into the HLCC mall and making their wishes. Throughout the month, there will be a line-up of a variety of exciting and cool Christmas-themed events, such as teddy bear mascots, queen magical mirror, adoption of Christmas trees, interactions with internet celebrities, exercise programmes, modern performances and children activities. HLCC mall, a place where you can eat, drink and play, bringing you an all-dimensional experience.

Let’s celebrate a Christmas filled with surprise at HLCC mall by immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of gathering, joy, presents and fun!