The Cactus Fashion Store is a verified terracotta brick retail interior in Xi’an where earthy rectangular modules help organise a deliberately pink, curved space.
This case study separates observable composition from product and system proof. It shows how colour, grid, route, curved counters, raised areas and art can work together, while requiring each floor, wall and fitted-element application to be identified and approved independently.
Verified project record
| Location | Xi’an, China |
|---|---|
| Use | Two-level fashion concept retail store |
| Design | Boundary Space Design |
| Client | Cactus clothing / Cactus-season, as credited by the published project records |
| Completion | 2019 |
| Area | 260 m² total project area; this is not a ceramic/terracotta surface quantity |
| Photography | Shen-Photo / Qiang Shen |
| Material account | The design record names concrete, steel and old ceramic/terracotta bricks from southern Fujian. “Old” is preserved as the source wording and does not by itself establish that every pictured unit was reclaimed. |
| Undisclosed product fields | Manufacturer/supplier, LOPO role, model/SKU, unit dimensions/tolerances, quantity, exact location schedule, intended-use classifications, substrate, mortar/adhesive or other setting/support route, joints/movement and tests |
Project identity, location, year, area, design credit, photography and material narrative follow the Gooood project record and are corroborated by the World Architecture Community feature. The original design account—not the LOPO archive page—controls the project attribution.
Read the composition before selecting a product
The design brief sought a romantic pink atmosphere without allowing one sweet tone to dominate. The project combines earthy red/pink rectangular surfaces, painted pink ceilings and fittings, white curved planes, exposed concrete, green glass, planting and large artworks. The result comes from relationships among materials and forms—not from a universal “ceramic style.”
Palette hierarchy
Use a dominant field, grounding tones and controlled contrasts. Record colour proportions and locations across ceiling, floor, walls, counters, furniture, glazing, structure and art rather than selecting pieces independently.
Grid and curves
The small rectangular module introduces scale and a visible joint rhythm against sweeping counters, circular ceiling cuts and the white stair. Coordinate how straight units meet radii, tangents and irregular edges.
Route and pause
Floor bands and raised zones can reinforce arrival, circulation, display and gathering. Verify thresholds, steps/ramps, edges, changes in level, visual contrast and accessible routes as functional interfaces.
Schedule each location as a separate product decision
A matching appearance does not prove that the same unit is appropriate for a floor, wall, raised platform or curved fitted element. Assign a type mark and exact product record to every location. If one product is proposed for multiple routes, require written intended-use and system evidence for each route rather than relying on colour continuity.
| Visible application | Product fields | System fields |
|---|---|---|
| Circulation floor | Exact floor/paver/tile identity, dimensions/tolerances, surface, edges, unit mass and intended traffic/exposure | Substrate, setting route, levels, movement, joints, slip/wear/impact, cleaning, accessibility and safe transitions |
| Raised platform or garden-like zone | Exact unit and edge/special-piece schedule, including visible perimeter cuts and risers | Support/base, load, level change, edge protection, drainage/cleaning, movement, accessibility and interface with displays/planting |
| Straight wall or backdrop | Facing-unit identity, face/back/section, finish, cut/edge/corner options and batch range | Substrate, bonding or mechanical route, public contact, movement, fire, joints, openings and replacement |
| Curved counter or fitted element | Unit size relative to radius, permitted cuts, finished edges, corners/returns and colour/texture distribution | Curved substrate/frame, attachment, joint fan/taper strategy, top/base/termination, service access, impact and repair |
| Adjacent art, glazing and concrete | Colour/texture range and edge treatment at each transition | Compatible joints/sealants where used, movement, staining/runoff, cleaning, mounting penetrations, lighting and protection |
Resolve module, joints, cuts and curves together
Set the module from the real proposed unit plus joint, then map it across circulation lines, raised zones, counters and backdrops. Establish datums at entrances, principal sightlines and key fittings. Decide where full units are protected, where cuts accumulate, how patterns turn corners or meet curves, and how movement joints and access panels fit the composition.
- verify surveyed substrate/frame geometry and the build-up available for the proposed floor or facing route;
- draw straight-to-curve tangencies, minimum viable cut pieces, joint changes, returns and visible end conditions;
- coordinate floor-to-counter, floor-to-concrete, floor-to-glazing and raised-platform edges without trip or sharp-edge hazards;
- locate movement, construction and control joints without disguising required movement in a rigid visual grid;
- coordinate doors, thresholds, service panels, electrical/data, lighting, display fixings, artwork and furniture loads;
- define protection during fit-out and how a damaged unit can be safely removed and replaced; and
- approve representative details at full scale before releasing quantities and cutting schedules.
No photograph approves a joint width, curve radius, cut size, mortar/adhesive, layer thickness or movement interval. These fields must follow the selected unit, system supplier, substrate, project specification and applicable requirements.
Validate the retail floor and public-contact zones
Retail traffic brings shoes, grit, spills, cleaning equipment, movable displays, deliveries and concentrated furniture loads. Define traffic and service conditions, then verify the complete floor for substrate/base preparation, flatness/levels, setting and joints, movement, slip, wear, impact, staining/cleaning, transitions, accessibility and replacement. Do not infer these outcomes from an earthen colour or a completed photograph.
Vertical and curved surfaces may be touched, leaned on or struck by bags, carts, furniture and fit-out work. Review edges/projections, impact zones, attachment/retention, public safety, cleaning, repair and fire requirements for the exact build-up. A facing material is not a structural barrier or guard unless the complete regulated assembly is designed and approved for that function.
Approve colour through range samples and a mock-up
Do not choose an earthen or pink palette from edited photographs. Obtain labelled current samples for the proposed unit, production route and batch range. Approve nominal and boundary samples for hue, value, texture, gloss, speckling, edges, cut faces and other relevant variation under the project’s daylight and electric lighting.
Map the palette
Record proportions and locations for the fired-clay units, painted fields, concrete, glass, metal, art, planting and furniture from principal viewpoints.
Identify exact products
Link every floor, wall and fitted-element type mark to current item/plant data, dimensioned geometry, intended use, finish and system route.
Approve range samples
Label nominal and acceptable extremes; define batch mixing or mapped distribution and the treatment of cuts, edges, corners and replacements.
Build representative details
Mock up a straight/curved transition, floor edge, raised zone or other critical interface with real substrates, joints and adjacent materials.
Test required functions
Where relevant, validate floor, facing, fire, adhesion/retention, cleaning or other project requirements using the approved method and complete build-up.
Record first installation
Approve setting out, colour distribution, joints, cuts, transitions, protection and workmanship before the remaining work proceeds.
Keep visual and technical acceptance separate
| Product identity | Manufacturer/plant, item code, intended use, front/back/section, dimensions/tolerances, mass, finish, colour range, edges/special pieces and current production status. |
|---|---|
| Floor evidence | Project-relevant structural/base, setting, movement, slip, wear, impact, moisture, cleaning/chemical, accessibility and fire evidence for the exact floor build-up. |
| Wall/fitted-element evidence | Substrate/frame, bonding or mechanical retention, load/impact, movement, joints, fire, public contact, services, cleaning and safe replacement for each build-up. |
| Appearance acceptance | Controlled range samples, module/joint/cut drawings, colour-distribution plan, mock-up, viewing/lighting conditions and first-installed-area record. |
| Environmental claim | Current product- and plant-matched declaration with defined scope/method, rather than a conclusion based on clay origin, old appearance, reuse language or visual naturalness. |
| Handover | Approved submittals, batch/lot and installed-location records, inspections/tests, nonconformances, as-builts, safe cleaning/maintenance, labelled spares and repair method. |
Use the case without misidentifying the material
For current product discovery, review Terracotta Brick, Terracotta Tile and Terracotta Floor Tile. The clay brick/tile identity guide helps distinguish product and facing routes, while the terracotta tile evidence matrix converts proposed benefits into application-specific evidence.
None of those pages identifies the historical units pictured here. Confirm current item data and the complete project system before using this composition as a design reference.
Develop an interior material and system schedule
Share plans, reflected ceilings and interior elevations; location/type marks; floor, wall and fitted-element routes; curves, levels and interfaces; exact product candidates; appearance range; traffic/public-contact, fire and accessibility requirements; mock-up/testing needs; quantities and programme.