Redefining the automotive galleries

After a first exhibition hall inaugurated in february 2018 in Shanghai, the manufacturer of electric and autonomous cars NIO opens its second space, the same year, in summer, at West Lake, Hangzhou, China. Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, the store is attempting, over its 1,221 m², to blur the lines between vehicle and user.

NIO, an international high-performance automobile start-up, has chosen to locate its second showroom and clubhouse at West Lake, Hangzhou, a Unesco world heritage site. With a goal of providing a warm space for owners of NIO products, the Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects design office imagines a basic volume in the shape of the exterior. Glass facades throughout the three floors reflect the context during the day and reflect the interior activities at night. This contemporary character of transparency also ensures a window on the ground floor for passers-by, as well as an invitation to enter and discover the cars on display. The interior is in the image of the manufacture, in its clear lines and the use of materials. The walls and floors on the current exhibition floor leave no room for separation joints, but melt together with a clear terrazzo coating. The spaces frequented by people take on a different cover, with light wood, adding a scandinavian dimension. The second level, accessible by a hidden staircase, contains the living room and a playroom for children. Finally, the third level, the most intimate, is reserved for members of the house.