Located in the heart of Nanjing’s busiest commercial district, the two-storey flagship doesn’t merely stake its claim through scale but through urban choreography. A sweeping cantilevered canopy creates a threshold that’s both generous and porous, softening the boundary between the store and the street, as does a newly designed plaza that folds into the building via a double-height foyer. The distinction between public and commercial space is further blurred inside by an amphitheatre-like staircase, serving as equal parts seating, spectacle and circulation, which appears to spill out onto the pavement.

Constructed from red brick, the sculptural staircase looms large through the glass façade, drawing in visitors and inviting them to linger. This gesture of spatial hospitality is further echoed in Zacaffè, a café conceived as a brick “house within the house,” which subtly breaches the glass façade to cater to customers on the street as much as those inside the store. Outside, benches made from the same red brick extend the gesture outward, encouraging passersby to pause, sit, and participate in the brand’s ecosystem, whether or not they intend to venture inside and shop.

While the store’s material and spatial warmth might suggest a departure from Zara’s famously no-nonsense ethos, the efficiency that that Zara has come to known for still remains embedded in the design. With this in mind, a glazed interior wall reveals the store’s automated garment transportation system, a behind-the-scenes feature typically hidden from public view, while the Zara Fit Check booth, a bookable, professional-grade photo studio, encourages digital-savvy visitors to create high-quality content. Rather than layering on gimmicks, the digital elements here serve to extend shoppers’ physical encounter with the merchandise.

Ultimately, Zara’s Xinjiekou flagship operates as more than just a retail destination. It functions as a civic node as well as a model for how global brands can root themselves in the specific locales.  In doing so, their strategy not only offers a compelling reimagination of Zara’s spatial identity, but a timely blueprint for the future of urban retail.