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    Various Associates creates irregular pyramid-shaped flagship store for DJI

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    Chinese interior studio Various Associates has completed an irregular pyramid-shaped flagship store for drone brand DJI in Shenzhen, China.

    Located at OCT Harbour on the shores of Shenzhen Bay, the flagship store was designed to demonstrate the Chinese drone company’s latest technology.
    Various Associates designed the largest DJI flagship in ShenzhenThe 4000-square-metre store contains spaces for product display, a gallery, customer service area and an event space in four floors, in addition to a public park called DJI Oasis, which is used for drone flights.
    The multi-facated facade was clad in granite with large triangular windows on the angled surfaces facing the park, which is connected to the second floor via an outdoor, zigzagging staircase.
    A new staircase connecting all floors is inserted into the buildingGentle ramps in the park lead visitors into the store, while forming a series of triangular patterns, responding to the same geometric form of the architecture.

    To minimise the direct sun exposure from the glass facade, Various Associates inserted an “interior skin” of stainless steel louvres to the outer shell of the building.
    The second layer forms an origami shape on the ceiling that corresponds to the outer shape.

    Various Associates designs Voisin Organique restaurant to resemble a gloomy valley

    “We hope to solve the problems of site mobility and sun exposure through a holistic program, and simplify the visual complexity of the interior walls and window sills, while retaining the original geometric aesthetics of the site architecture,” explained the Shenzhen-based studio.
    “The newly added ‘interior skin’ filters the sunlight, casting unique daylight patterns throughout the day, creating a sense of outdoors.”
    Display tables and lightings are informed by DJI’s classic drones’ propeller bladesOn the ground floor, DJI’s drone products are displayed on custom-made tables in angled shape of the brand’s classic drones’ propeller blades.
    They are lit from above by lights, which are same shape, suspended from the ceiling.
    A gallery-like space on the third floor is used to exhibit photographyThe third floor of the building contains the Hasselblad Experience Station – a joint display area for DJI and Swedish camera and lenses brand Hasselblad.
    The gallery-like space with a darker tone contrasts the bright and airy product section downstairs, which is used for showcasing the photography created by DJI and Hasselblad.
    An event space on the top floor features a 15-meter-high ceilingThe building is topped with the 15-meter-high DJI Horizon Hall, which was designed as an event venue. According to the studio, the dramatic geometric space naturally draws visitors to look up upon entering, evoking the actions of watching a drone taking off.
    Various Associates is an architecture and interior design studio founded by Dongzi Yang and Qianyi Lin in 2017. Elsewhere in Shenzhen, the studio previously designed a cafe and cocktail bar that emulates a small cosy cabin.
    The photography is by SFAP.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Various AssociatesChief designers: Qianyi Lin, Dongzi YangProject management: Hanqun CaiDesign team: Yuwen Deng, Zebing Li, Benzhen Pan, Chao Luo, Junrui Zhang, Qian Xie, Yue ZhangLighting design: GD Lighting DesignMEP design: Tongji ArchitectsStructural design: Tongji ArchitectsContractor: HECIAN

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      Cliffside hotel in China features cave-like pool with sea views

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      Chinese interior studio GS Design has created the nature-informed Miyue Blue and White Island Pool Homestay near Shenzhen, China.

      Located in Nan’ao Subdistrict, the Miyue Blue and White Island Pool Homestay was designed to reference its surrounding environment.
      Miyue Blue and White Island Pool Homestay is located near ShenzhenThe exterior of the five-storey building is punctuated by a series of arched windows, inviting the surrounding natural landscape of the cliffside hotel into the building. Each storey was stacked above one another, creating balconies and terrace pool areas on the upper three floors.
      The Shenzhen-based studio used white as the base tone of the interiors to contrast the rich blues of the surrounding sea and sky.
      Wood and bamboo were used in the hotel restaurant to reference the natural environment”Elegant vacation is the core idea of this space,” explained GS Design.

      “The whole building takes pure white as the basic tone, combined with blue sea and sky, expressed the relaxation of the exotic vacation, as if people immersed in nature
      A cave-like pool features in one guest roomThe entrance of the hotel on the third floor where a public restaurant is also located. A bamboo ceiling painted in white and wooden furniture add to the overall nature-informed interiors of the hotel. GS Design cladded the bar in black bamboo to create a sense of mystery.
      Other public spaces of the hotel include a water bar, reading recreation area and a conference room. GS Design created 25 different guest rooms spread throughout all floors, each with a unique view framed by various shaped windows.

      GS Design repeats arch motifs throughout Sumei Skyline Coast hotel on Hainan Island

      One room features a cave-like pool that extends from within the inside of the room to the outside. The polished rugged surface of the cave envelopes the bath, protecting the privacy of the guests as well as connecting them directly to the outdoor nature.
      “The natural scenery corresponding to different caves and pools has become the core of space,” said GS Design. “Through the visual, tactile, auditory sensory experience , we create a more delicate appropriate sense of vacation for travellers.”
      The base tone of white contrasts the blues of surrounding sea and skyThe top attic rooms were designed specifically for family with children.
      According to the studio, triangle oblique top modelling and window framing evoke the memory of childhood corner, as they discovered in a survey a huge demand for parent-child serviced rooms for urban hotels.
      GS Design was established in 2014 and is based in Shenzhen. Previously it has designed a similar hotel on the beachside of Sanya, China, with arched windows and sculptural vaulted corridors.
      The photography is by Aoxiang.
      Project credits:
      Design director: Li Liangchao, Huang YuanmanSoft outfitting design director: Feng YuDesign team: Fu Qixin, Xu Zuohua, Zheng Yong, Zhong Zhige

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      One Plus Partnership adds sculptural stage spotlights to Shenzhen cinema

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      Chinese studio One Plus Partnership used reflective bronze panels and a variety of spotlights to create a light-and-shadow effect at the Wan Fat Jinyi cinema in Shenzhen, China.

      The studio chose “stage lighting” as the theme of the interiors to match the concept of the cinema, which caters to both film screenings and live performances. The project has been shortlisted in the leisure and wellness interiors category of Dezeen Awards 2022.
      Spotlights form the key design element applied throughout the cinema”This project’s core design concept for the cinema was the ‘stage’,” the studio said. “Since the old days, the stage has served as a space for actors or performers and a focal point – the screen in cinemas – for the audience.”
      On the lobby ceiling, two lines of spotlights are assembled with the lights pointing outwards at each side to form a series of rectangular blocks. They hang randomly at different angles to make it look as if they are floating above people.
      The spotlights have a sculptural designAlso in the lobby, One Plus Partnership covered the interiors using bronze as the main material to create more reflective surfaces. The reflective quality of the bronze helps to create a light-and-shadow effect when it is hit by the spotlights.

      Yellow and orange were chosen as the main colour palette of the interiors since the colours are closely associated with light.
      Lighting dots on the hallway walls serve as signageIn the hallway, the spotlights are used as single units and have been added to the floors and walls at different angles. By arranging these lighting dots into groups, the studio created decorative patterns on the all-black walls, highlighting the lighting effect.
      Some of the spotlights are formed into signage that help visitors to identify locations and directions.

      Batek Architekten renovates historic cinema in pastel and earth-coloured hues

      The studio used the same colour palette for the auditorium. The geometric patterns on the walls and seating were designed to resemble traces of light shot from spotlights.
      “By using just different combinations of colours, we have managed to give variety to the design with the lowest possible costs,” explained One Plus Partnership.
      The geometric patterns in the auditorium resemble traces of light shot from spotlightsOther Chinese projects in the running to win a the Dezeen Awards 2022 include a second-hand bookshop that uses supermarket-style crates to display its wares and a timber and travertine reading room, both located in Shanghai.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.

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      Vermilion Zhou Design Group opts for rich hues in revamp of Haidilao hotpot restaurant

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      Shades of blue and green feature throughout this hotpot restaurant in Shenzhen, which has been updated by Chinese studio Vermilion Zhou Design Group.

      Haidilao, which was established in 1994, is the biggest hotpot restaurant chain in China, with overseas branches in cities such as London, New York and Sydney.
      When its Shenzhen location was in need of a revamp, Vermilion Zhou Design Group was brought in to lead on the design.
      Sky-blue seating lies at the centre of the restaurantFrom the outset, the Shanghai-based studio knew it wanted to avoid the red and black colour scheme that has previously been used in Haidilao restaurants.
      The space has instead been decked out in shades of blue and green that are meant to nod to the chain’s use of natural, fresh ingredients.

      At the periphery of the floor plan are jade-green dining cabinsAt the heart of the restaurant is a bank of sky-blue dining chairs accompanied by tables with flecked, terrazzo-style countertops.
      Bands of shiny brass panelling have been suspended from the ceiling overhead, inset with LED ticker boards that project interactive messages to diners.
      A large LED screen has also been integrated into Haidilao’s facade; it displays moving silhouettes of different people, hinting at the buzzing activity of the restaurant’s interior.
      Tables have terrazzo-style countertopsAround the periphery of the main dining room is a sequence of high-backed, jade-green booths that form intimate “cabins” where small groups can enjoy their meals.
      There are also a number of cosy nooks designed to accommodate solo diners.
      Jade-coloured fixtures and furnishings also appear in the private dining roomTowards the rear of Haidilao there is a drinks counter and a private dining room that can be hired out for special occasions. Tall pivoting doors help close the space off from the rest of the floor plan.
      In keeping with the rest of the restaurant, it features jade-coloured walls and brass-edged furnishings.
      In the bathrooms, terrazzo washbasins meet scalloped wallsVermilion Zhou Design Group has created a small manicure bar within the restaurant’s entryway – not only is it meant to lure in more passersby, but it also gives prospective diners a fun way to kill time while waiting for a table.
      The bar has been rendered blush-pink, boldly deviating from the restaurant’s colour scheme, and has a scallop feature wall.
      Scalloped surfaces go on to appear in the customer bathrooms, which have been finished with oblong mirrors and terrazzo-like washbasins.
      A pink nail manicure bar has been created in Haidilao’s entrywayThere are a number of visually striking hotpot restaurants across China.
      Examples include Jin Sheng Long in Qinhuangdao, where diners sit among thick stucco partitions, and Xinhua Nufang in Chengdu, which perches on the edge of a lotus pond.
      The photography is by Vincent Wu.
      Project credits:
      Creative director: Kuang Ming (Ray) ChouConcept design: Ting Ho, Ming ShiInterior design: Garvin Hong, Xudong Wang, Yuqin Chou, Dandan Guo, Jing Wu, Zihao Yao, Yuxuan Li, Changsong LiLighting design: Vera Chu, Chia Huang LiaoFF&E design: Ping Xue, Ruiping HeVideo: Ming Shi

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      Burberry and Tencent collaborate on interactive WeChat shop in Shenzhen

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      Visitors to Shenzhen’s Burberry flagship store can use Tencent’s WeChat app to interact with the window display and play their own music in fitting rooms.The British fashion brand and China’s largest social media company collaborated to design a shop that suited Shenzhen’s growing reputation for technology.

      Shoppers use WeChat, a Chinese messaging and social media app, to engage with the shop in Shenzhen’s MixC development.

      Tencent and Burberry have produced a custom mini program that is unlocked via WeChat. Users create a profile and are given a digital avatar in the form of a cartoon fawn that hatches from an egg.

      Through the app, shoppers can book one of the three themed fitting rooms, pre-select the clothes and play their own music while they try them on. They can also use this program to book a table at the in-house cafe and make appointments with stylists and other services.
      To encourage engagement, the program has a rewards system to earn “social currency” that unlocks custom content, such as new characters and outfits for the animal avatar and exclusive dishes on the cafe menu.

      All the products have QR codes, which can be scanned to display more information and visual hints for styling the project – and give the user more points for unlocking content.
      The interactive window display is currently a sculptural recreation of the runway for Burberry’s Autumn Winter 2020 show. Mirrors and screens capture the movement of people as they interact with it, which users can capture and share with their phones.

      “Social media is an increasingly important part of the customer journey and the interaction between social media and physical surroundings is ever more seamless,” said Burberry senior vice president of digital Mark Morris.
      “Our social retail store in Shenzhen is our response to this. It is a space where the social and physical worlds merge, taking interactions from social media and bringing them into the physical retail environment,” he told Dezeen.
      “The tech we use in the store is intended to provide a seamless journey that augments customers’ online and instore life. Therefore, this is not a tech store, but a beautiful luxury store augmented by technology.”

      Burberry chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci turned to the brand’s archive to create a visual look for the themed rooms that correspond to the digital platform.

      Peter Saville collaborates with Riccardo Tisci to design new Burberry logo and monogram

      The Italian fashion designer used the Thomas Burberry Monogram and the fashion house’s fawn print as a recurring motif – the latter being the inspiration for the WeChat avatar too.

      Furnishings, fixtures and plinths throughout the store are made from plywood and mirrors. Tisci used a palette of beige, pistachio, pink and blue throughout the 10 rooms in the shop, each of which has a different theme.
      The three bookable fitting rooms are decorated around the concept of Burberry Animal Kingdom, Reflections and the Thomas Burberry Monogram, and visitors can book their favourite via the app.

      Thomas’ Cafe is decked out in high-gloss beige with chamfered mirrors, animal-patterned wall panels and layers of sandy-coloured curtains.
      Even the tabletops are mirrored, creating a unique backdrop for diners to capture their meal for sharing on social media.

      In the Trench Experience room, digital displays set in the plywood walls show moving images of nature in reference to the fashion brand’s founder, Thomas Burberry, who designed a waterproof trench coat for British troops in the first world war. This room has more opportunities for customers to unlock custom content.
      “I am fascinated by the balance between nature and technology, and the energy that connects the two,” said Tisci.
      “This store explores this relationship, blending the digital and the physical realms in an exciting new concept. I wanted to bring this love of the outdoors to life through all the elements of the store.”

      Burberry previously brought technology to its London shop, where it installed a robot that appeared to chisel sculptures out of polystyrene blocks.
      Tencent recently opened its new headquarters in Shenzhen, a pair of towers designed by NBBJ joined by multiple bridges to encourage staff to meet and interact.

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      Various Associates designs Voisin Organique restaurant to resemble a gloomy valley

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      Towering ceilings and shadowy dining areas within this restaurant in Shenzhen are meant to emulate the experience of traversing a mountain valley. Located in Shenzhen’s Futian district, Voisin Organique is a farm-to-table restaurant that offers a contemporary take on traditional Chinese cuisine. Various Associates was tasked with developing the restaurant’s interior, which needed to include […] More

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      Layers of mirror and glass feature in Shenzhen's “ghostly” Geijoeng store

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      Studio 10 has layered an array of reflective, translucent and transparent materials to create an ethereal store for a womenswear brand in Shenzhen. Designed by Studio 10 for Geijoeng – a Chinese minimalist womenswear brand – the 120-square-metre store features glass brick walls, a mirrored dropped ceiling and a green terrazzo floor. The studio’s aim […] More