Top Toy Interiors Showcases A Gamified Approach to Retail

The first global flagship store of Top Toy located on Shanghai’s vibrant Nanjing East Road innovates the retail experience by shaping traditional commercial spaces into immersive, interactive environments. The store is designed by X+Living Architecture and Interior Design, a Shanghai-based firm known for redefining commercial spaces through artistic innovation.

By infusing playfulness and humour into its design, the Top Toy breaks away from the rigid structures of conventional commercial architecture, instead offering consumers a space where exploration and engagement are at the forefront. As a pioneering flagship, this project sets a precedent for the brand’s global expansion and reimagines how design can drive commercial innovation and reshape consumer interactions.

X+Living Architecture and Interior Design was founded in 2011 by the Chinese designer Li Xiang. Recognised globally, including the 2022 A+Awards for “Best Commercial Design Firm,” the firm mixes creativity with functionality across architecture, interiors, landscaping, and construction. Li Xiang’s approach to design combines geometric forms, vibrant palettes, and symbolic elements to evoke emotional depth and immersive experiences. Her designs span commercial real estate, culture, retail, and hospitality, earning her over 100 prestigious awards, including Forbes’s “Designer with the Most Potential” and Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business.

With a foundation in commercial insight, the store integrates gamification into its spatial design. By creating a retail environment that mirrors the mechanics of a game, the architects has created an experience that is both forward-thinking and emotionally engaging.

“The store acts as a model for the evolution of physical retail, shifting from transactional spaces to emotionally resonant destinations,” says Li Xiang.

Setting the Scene with a Striking Façade

The store’s façade, inspired by toy blister packaging, utilises large-scale transparent display windows to create a packaging effect for the entrance. At its center, the brand’s original IP character, the Great Power Fortune Cat, stands at an extraordinary scale, instantly transforming the storefront into a visual landmark.

“This bold and dynamic presence draws passersby into the brand’s world, evoking curiosity and encouraging exploration,” explains Li, “Through this playful visual language, visitors experience a sense of scale inversion, feeling as though they are miniature figures within a life-sized toy package.

Thus the visitors to the store are immersed in a gamified narrative, like that of a “loading screen”, much before the adventure begins.

ROUND 1: Modular Design—Building a Playful Environment

The store’s interior is heavily inspired by retro gaming consoles, particularly the iconic red-and-white models of past generations. However, rather than relying solely on nostalgia, the design cleverly reinterprets familiar gaming elements to create a universally engaging aesthetic.

Using modular rectangular elements reminiscent of gaming pixels, the designer structures the space in a way that mimics the assembly logic of classic gaming consoles and Top Toy’s signature “China Bricks.” Modular display platforms, staggered islands, and plastic-textured surfaces are carefully arranged to echo the feeling of a game world brought to life.

Strategically placed vertical columns serve as display points for Top Toy’s key IP characters, each housed in illuminated cases akin to museum exhibits. These installations invite interaction and photography, further enhancing engagement. The use of half-height display platforms and transparent shelving ensures open sightlines, allowing for an uninterrupted, layered visual experience.

A key focal point is the central staircase, which extends through a three-story atrium, reinforcing the game-like spatial narrative. Visitors ascending through the store feel as though they are progressing through game levels, seamlessly transitioning from one immersive setting to the next. The interplay of different module sizes and configurations not only adds depth to the space but also allows for scalable design solutions that reduce costs while maximising impact.

ROUND 2: A Bold Colour Palette for Visual Impact

The store’s colour strategy is rooted in the classic gaming palettes of red, yellow, blue, and green—shades that were originally limited by early gaming technology. However, rather than using these primary colors as they are, the design reinterprets them with a contemporary twist.

A key element of this reinterpretation is the introduction of purple, achieved by blending red and blue. This colour not only enhances the visual depth of the space but also serves as a symbolic bridge between Top Toy’s corporate identity and its youthful, exploratory brand philosophy. The resulting palette establishes a cohesive visual identity that strengthens brand recognition while offering a differentiated competitive edge.

Each functional zone is wrapped in distinct colours, creating independent yet interconnected sections. The absence of rigid partitions allows colours to flow seamlessly, giving the impression of transitioning between different areas within a continuous, open space.

ROUND 3: Interactive Exploration—Turning Shopping into a Game

By incorporating gaming principles into the retail experience, the store goes beyond passive browsing, encouraging participation. The layout is designed to facilitate movement in a way that mimics a video game map, with designated areas functioning as different “missions” or “reward zones.”

The first floor features a zigzagging circulation path that optimises foot traffic distribution while enhancing product accessibility. Meanwhile, the second floor adopts a circular route to break away from rigid grid-like structures, fostering an organic flow of exploration. This thoughtful design encourages customers to navigate the space as they would a virtual game world—interacting, discovering, and immersing themselves in the brand’s universe.

In keeping with this game-like experience, the store incorporates interactive touchpoints that reward exploration. Key engagement zones include IP-Collaborated Coffee Areas – Offering themed beverages and collectible experiences. Also Building Block Experience Zones that allow customers to engage with China Bricks firsthand. There also are Plush Toy Sections which provide hands-on interaction with soft collectible toys.

Each of these zones functions like in-game rewards, reinforcing the sense of discovery and participation, and encouraging customers to spend more time within the space.

Beyond Commerce: The Emotional Connection of Physical Retail

“In an era dominated by online shopping, physical stores must offer more than just products—they must provide meaningful experiences that foster human connection. The Top Toy flagship store exemplifies how spatial design can transform a traditional retail environment into an immersive, interactive playground that fosters emotional engagement,” reaterates the designer.

By integrating play, nostalgia, and interactive design, the store becomes more than a shopping destination—it evolves into a shared experience that resonates across generations. This sense of emotional connection extends beyond commercial transactions, allowing the space to function as a cultural and social hub.

Top Toy’s flagship store in Shanghai extends beyond being a commercial space; it is an example of how gamified design can redefine consumer experiences. By leveraging immersive storytelling, modular structures, bold color strategies, and interactive engagement zones, the store creates an environment where shopping becomes an adventure.

Through this innovative approach, the store demonstrates the future of physical retail—a space where commercial goals align with emotional resonance, where design fosters community interaction, and where consumers don’t just shop, but play, explore, and connect.

All Images Courtesy X + Living