Mercedes Unimog Showroom In Beijing Takes Cues From Outdoor Lifestyle
MERCEDES UNIMOG SHOWROOM IN BEIJING TAKES CUES FROM OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE
Christian Taeubert
LOCATION
Beijing, China
TYPE
Commercial › Showroom
"Designed by guò bàn ér architects, the showroom has opened to customers in Beijing's Bei Gao area.
“We intended to deliver a very flexible showcase space which easily transforms into a place for social gatherings,” says Christian Taeubert, founder of guò bàn ér.
The showroom had to be a very flexible space by default since up to two trucks will have to be driven into the gallery. The only area which does not overlap with the trucks turning radii is a circle six meters in diameter.
This remaining roundabout, covered with a radial stack of large slate plates, evokes associations of the outdoors and simulates a sense of uneven natural ground.
Sculptures from Artist Johannes Nielsen, curated by Nikolaus Ellrodt, founder of Image Chaser Art Consultancy, create a complimenting nature theme.
Tucked below the mezzanine office level, a bar and meeting area features solid oak wall paneling and furniture accompanied by a wood-burning fireplace.
“When designing the gathering area, we thought about how little it would need to create a modernized version of a ‘Gasthaus’ touch to make customers feel comfortable,” says Christian Taeubert, founder of guò bàn ér.
The impact of COVID had a silver lining for the outdoor industry. “Everyone wants to get outside. People want to escape after months at home,” says Sun Min, founder of guò bàn ér. The power of the outdoors has led to a boom in the Chinese overland traveling community.
“Due to a challenging budget, we had to make early-on decisions on what we don’t want to see in the showroom, which turned out to be the healthy selection process needed to deliver a space truly flexible in its use,” says Sun Min, founder of guò bàn ér."