A Peek Inside Parkview Green

OK, pub quiz fans. See that building in the photo above? Ten points if you can tell us what it's going to be used for ...

If any of the words "hotel," "shopping mall" or "office building" sprang to mind, well done. If you answered with all three of those, even better. If you answered "an intelligent building that sets new standards in both form and function," sort your life out - you obviously spend too much of your time reading press releases. Although, to be fair, you'd also have a point.

Housing office and retail space, numerous pieces of contemporary art, and boutique hotel Eclat, Parkview Green is being hyped as the most energy efficient building in China. We got a look around the site last week, and were fairly impressed by both what we saw and what we heard in terms of the plans for the project. However, although the building looks very close to completion, our friends at Parkview Green and Eclat are talking about March 2012 as a more likely launch date. We're told the main issue holding the project back is that the building hasn't yet been certified by fire safety officials and that this may yet take some time.

In the meantime, a few teasers:

Parkview Green is designed to maximize energy efficiency by maintaining its own "microclimate," reducing (though not eliminating) the need for air-conditioning. An elaborate engineering system allows for the building's sloping roof to be "opened" ever-so-slightly, allowing fresh air to circulate and stop the temperature getting too high. The loftier goal is for Parkview Green to set a green example for the surrounding community to follow - all we can say is that they're certainly ambitious.

The mall at Parkview Green will feature multiple floors of shopping, ranging from fast fashion brands to high-end luxury labels. The design is interesting enough for it not to feel like another identikit mall - maybe it's just the sheer scale of the place, though there are various art pieces currently scattered around (these may be relocated), and a huge bridge running right through the center of the place. Convenient if you don't want to walk around the entire thing, and just a little reminiscent of Hong Kong's mega-malls.

Brands currently tabled to be featured include Apple, a giant I.T. store, 7 of Mankind, Dunhill, Ivanka Trump (yes, the luxury jewelry brand founded by Donald Trump's daughter) and Gap - we're promised a special "concept" section for kids and infants, plus an in-store playground.

On the restaurant/bar side of things, among the venues that Parkview Green have confirmed with us so far include: Element Fresh, Din Tai Fung, Japanese katsudon restaurant Saboten, a wine bar called Bar Veloce, a “signature Italian restaurant,” a branch of London-based whiskey bar and restaurant Albannach (Beijing's first Scottish restaurant?) and Alfie Bar & Restaurant, the Dunhill group’s fifth restaurant worldwide. As well as all this, there'll be a food court and cinema on the basement.

We weren't allowed to take photos inside the Eclat hotel, but it's looking pretty impressive. The floor we were shown around is intended to be "reminiscent of a hutong alleyway," with grey brick walls and carpets that just about carry off the effect of looking like stone. In a good way, of course. The effect is pretty impressive, though fortunately they haven't gone for other elements of an "authentic" lao Beijing lifestyle experience, such as having no heating, no electricity and having to share a bedroom with ten other families.

The most luxurious of the rooms feature a small pool and private terrace (enclosed within the building), but even the more "standard" rooms have amenities including flat-screen TVs, Bang & Olufsen speakers, "rainforest" showers and toilets with motion-sensor lids. Yes. The Eclat will have several dining and drinking options, including a buffet restaurant, a Mediterranean restaurant and a cigar bar.

As we say, you're likely going to have to wait until the early months of 2012 before you get a look inside Parkview Green for yourself, but this is going to be one spot to look out for next year. Hopefully we'll be able to confirm more venues in the next few months, but for the moment, you now know about as much as we do!