Drawing on the structural elements of traditional Mongolian yurts and the vibrant seasonal colors of the natural prairie to create a vital focal point within the city, Cailiren has evolved from a dry goods store into a lifestyle curator. It has become the ultimate shortcut for the vast urban population to get closer to and experience nature.
Nuts and dry goods are a daily staple of the Chinese diet, serving as a microcosm of the land's bounty. However, amidst the wave of urbanization, the distance between people and nature has gradually widened. For young consumers, the demand for nuts—a healthy snack—has extended beyond mere functionality to emotional resonance.
As a native Inner Mongolian brand, Cailiren's core strength lies in its "natural and rustic" DNA. Through spatial storytelling, DAS Lab has elevated the brand's positioning from a traditional "roasted nut shop" to "the dry goods store for the Chinese people." Using the concept of a "doorstep picking garden" as its primary inspiration, the design integrates the vastness of the Inner Mongolian prairie with the warmth of everyday city life. Emphasizing its dual role in bridging tradition and modernity, as well as the city and the prairie, the project seeks to carve out an "edible courtyard" within a commercial mall—a healing corner that allows urbanites to reconnect with the earth and perceive the changing of the seasons.
