X11 Global Flagship Toy Store by BloomDesign.

Monolithic, futuristic and a little bit ominous, this toy store by BloomDesign takes us on an unexpected tour through an alternate cyberpunk reality. The first of its kind for Chinese retailer X11, the Shenzhen-based design studio has constructed a spatial narrative born out of an apocalyptic wasteland.

Sitting on the vibrant Huaihai Road in Shanghai, a series of stacked luminous boxes frame the exterior in a divine moment of arrival. When the lighting fixtures are turned on at night, distinct pixel patterns are formed exaggerating the brand’s already overt visual presence next to the neighbouring flagships.

Inside, a panorama of cinematic proportions awaits. Comprising of the ground and underground floors of the building, the interior spans over 2,000 square metres. The floor slabs of the ground floor were removed to visually connect the two levels and replaced with a transparent glass bridge, blurring the physical boundaries of the volume.

After demolishing and stripping treatments, the existing reinforced concrete beams and columns were exposed and retained, restoring the original structure. Silver matte stainless steel accents and white geometric tiled flooring distort the raw aesthetic, reimagining the space as a doomsday hideaway.

A transparent illuminated ceiling stretches wide overhead, reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This nod to the iconic science fiction film extends to the “X Time Tunnel” — a long distinctive tunnel that invites consumers to engage in a never-ending exhibition of comics and animation. Multimedia can be found in every which way throughout the store, serving as a window for customers to interact with and explore the brand.

Adorned with ball-jointed dolls a chrome shelf, measuring 6 metres tall vividly unites the two floors. Visually arresting, if not a bit creepy, the installation seems to rise from the ground and extend upwards a fittingly dramatic centrepiece for this eccentric toy shop.

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[Images courtesy of BloomDesign. Photography by Lu Haha.]