Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Clash of Ideas

At 9 a.m. on Monday, the first official coordination meeting for the "Stellar Center" project was held in the large meeting room of DreamWeave Design. Su Wan arrived half an hour early, double-checking the design proposal PPT repeatedly to ensure there were no issues. Other team members trickled in one after another, their faces a mix of nervousness and anticipation. After all, this was their first formal contact with the investor, Chengyu Investment, and the outcome of the meeting would directly impact the project's subsequent progress.Promptly at 9 o'clock, the meeting room door swung open. Lin Man walked in with several men dressed in tailored suits. The man in the middle was tall and upright, wearing a well-fitted dark gray suit paired with a white shirt, no tie—striking the perfect balance between formality and casualness. His facial features were deep and chiseled, his eyes sharp yet calm, exuding an innate aura of leadership."Let me introduce everyone," Lin Man said with a smile. "This is Mr. Lu Chengyu, President of Chengyu Investment and the primary person in charge of the Stellar Center project." She then turned to Lu Chengyu, introducing her team. "Mr. Lu, this is Su Wan, a designer on our team and the lead designer for the Stellar Center project proposal."Lu Chengyu's gaze fell on Su Wan, calm and unwavering, as if he were looking at just an ordinary stranger. Su Wan met his eyes and nodded slightly: "Hello, Mr. Lu. I'm Su Wan.""Designer Su, I've heard a lot about you," Lu Chengyu's voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a faint hint of distance. He wasted no time on pleasantries, striding directly to the head of the conference table and sitting down. "Let's get straight to the point," he said. "Designer Su, please present the preliminary design proposal for the Stellar Center."Su Wan took a deep breath, walked to the projection screen, and opened the PPT, starting her presentation methodically: "Good morning, Mr. Lu and 各位 leaders. The design concept for Stellar Center is 'City's Light, Vibrant Hub'. We aim to create an integrated urban space that combines commerce, culture, leisure, and office functions—becoming a new landmark of the city. For the overall shape, we've adopted a streamlined curved design, simulating the trajectory of flowing starlight. This not only embodies a modern and artistic aesthetic but also maximizes the use of natural light to achieve energy conservation and environmental protection goals..."As she spoke, Su Wan kept a close eye on Lu Chengyu and the other investor representatives' reactions. The others nodded from time to time, seemingly approving of the proposal, but Lu Chengyu's expression remained neutral, his brows furrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.When Su Wan moved on to introduce the commercial format distribution and spatial circulation design, Lu Chengyu finally spoke up: "Designer Su, I have a question. You mentioned placing a large supermarket and food court on the basement floor, retail and catering from the first to fifth floors, and offices and hotels above the sixth. While this layout is conventional, I find it lacks innovation. Additionally, your spatial circulation design is overly complex—it may cause consumers to get lost, undermining their shopping experience."Su Wan was caught off guard. She hadn't expected Lu Chengyu to first question the format distribution and circulation design. Regaining her composure, she explained: "Mr. Lu, your point is valid. However, our format distribution is based on research into the surrounding consumer groups. There are several large residential communities and office buildings nearby, and residents and office workers have a strong demand for supermarkets, retail, and catering. As for the complex circulation design, it's intended to increase consumers' dwell time in the mall, thereby boosting store exposure and sales.""Dwell time doesn't equal consumption conversion rate," Lu Chengyu retorted, his tone firm and unyielding. "If consumers can't find the stores they're looking for, it will only frustrate them and reduce their willingness to spend. Moreover, a conventional format layout won't attract young consumers. Today's young people pursue personalized, experiential consumption—we need to give them a reason to choose Stellar Center over other malls."Su Wan felt a surge of defiance. She believed her design proposal was based on thorough research and validation, and she hadn't overlooked these factors. "Mr. Lu, we have considered experiential consumption," she persisted. "We've planned an indoor theme park and sky garden on the seventh floor, and an observation restaurant and starry sky bar on the top floor—all designed to provide consumers with unique experiences. Furthermore, the complex circulation can be addressed through a clear wayfinding system. We'll install prominent signs at every corner and elevator to ensure consumers won't get lost.""Placing the indoor theme park and sky garden so high up will hinder foot traffic," Lu Chengyu pointed out unflinchingly. "Consumers will have to pass through multiple retail and catering floors to reach them, and many may give up halfway. Besides, wayfinding systems only serve as a supplement—they can't fundamentally solve the problem of overly complex circulation. A good commercial space design should allow consumers to easily find their destinations even without a wayfinding system."The two exchanged arguments, engaging in a heated debate over design concepts and proposal details. The atmosphere in the meeting room grew tense instantly, and the other attendees held their breath, daring not to interject. Lin Man tried to defuse the tension: "Mr. Lu, Designer Su, I think both of your perspectives have merit. Why don't we take a short break to discuss together and see if we can find a compromise?"Lu Chengyu glanced at Lin Man, then turned back to Su Wan, his gaze appraising: "Designer Su, I acknowledge that your proposal is highly creative and thoughtful in detail. But commercial projects are ultimately market-oriented and profit-driven. Your design overemphasizes artistry and individuality while neglecting the essence of business. I hope you will re-examine the proposal—starting from the consumers' perspective and the business operation perspective—to create a design more aligned with market needs."Su Wan clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging almost into her palms. She didn't deny that Lu Chengyu's words held some truth, but she couldn't agree with his complete dismissal of her design concept. Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep her voice steady: "Mr. Lu, I respect your opinion, but I also stand by my design philosophy. Artistry and commercial viability are not mutually exclusive—they can be integrated. I believe only a design that balances artistry with market demand can truly make Stellar Center stand out among numerous commercial projects. I will revise and improve the proposal based on today's discussion, but I will not abandon my design philosophy."Lu Chengyu looked into Su Wan's firm eyes, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly in an almost imperceptible smile. He didn't refute her further, merely saying calmly: "Very well. I look forward to seeing your revised proposal. The meeting ends here—we'll have the second coordination session next Wednesday." With that, he stood up, adjusted his suit jacket, and turned to leave the meeting room.The other investor representatives followed suit, leaving only DreamWeave Design's team in the room. Lin Man walked over to Su Wan and patted her shoulder: "Su Wan, don't be discouraged. Mr. Lu is just like this—he has extremely high standards for projects and speaks very directly. However, the issues he raised are indeed worth reflecting on. Go back and sort out your thoughts, integrate his suggestions, and optimize the proposal. I believe you can make it even better."Su Wan nodded, her eyes still resolute: "I know, Director Lin. Although today's debate with Mr. Lu was intense, it also made me aware of the problems in the proposal. I will revise it carefully and not let you down."Back at her workstation, Su Wan opened her computer and stared at her meticulously crafted proposal, her heart a jumble of emotions. She knew Lu Chengyu's words had merit, but she was unwilling to easily abandon her design philosophy. Falling into deep thought, she began to seriously consider how to strike the perfect balance between artistry and commercial viability.The sunlight streamed through the window onto her desk, warm and bright. Su Wan looked outside, silently making a vow: No matter how great the difficulties, she would persist. She would prove with her strength that her design philosophy was feasible, and that she had the ability to turn Stellar Center into an urban landmark that was both artistically rich and commercially vibrant.