Lamborghini, one of the world’s leading sports car manufacturers, is known for pushing the boundaries of automotive design and engineering in pursuit of the perfect sports car. While Lamborghini operates hundreds of stores globally, its independently designed architectural exhibition centers are rare. The Lamborghini flagship exhibition center in Zhengzhou, China, is the brand’s third globally, following Milan and Dubai, and was designed by PMA Design Office.
Inspired by the design evolution of Lamborghini’s classic models, the building features a dynamic 60-degree tilt relative to the site and creates spatial interest through its twisting form. This innovative design responds harmoniously to its environment, revitalizing the area and establishing a new landmark.
Unlike the typical Lamborghini storefronts located in busy downtown commercial areas, this project is situated near the elevated airport road on South Third Ring Road in Zhengdong New District. The city center’s commercial vibe and operational conditions did not meet the client’s requirements for display and future development. The site is bordered to the north by a 24-meter-tall building, while the south side features a municipal green space shaped like an inverted triangle, with a base area under 1,000 square meters. The main challenge was to design a building that reflects Lamborghini’s corporate spirit while adapting to these strict site constraints, convincing the Milan headquarters to approve construction.
Highly recognizable proportions, crisp contours, precise lines, and smooth surfaces form the core of Lamborghini’s design DNA.
— Lamborghini Design Center
Drawing inspiration from the rugged lines and sharp edges of Lamborghini supercars, the architect transformed site limitations into strengths. Using geometric forms such as parallelograms and triangles, the design incorporates rotating and rising continuous facades that wrap around the building. Expansive windows throughout allow visitors to engage visually with the outside environment at all times. Walking through the building evokes the experience of driving a high-performance supercar, with shifting interior spaces and changing views. To reduce the feeling of massiveness, the architect avoided filling both floors with solid volume. Instead, a visual corridor was created between the passage and the neighboring northern building, elegantly announcing the presence of the new structure.
“Our design captures the site’s unique characteristics through Lamborghini’s ultra-high precision approach. The architectural form fits tightly with the site, while the continuous window openings maximize interaction between indoor and outdoor environments. This creates a distinct architectural DNA specific to this site and brand,” said Mr. Wang Chuan, founder and chief designer of PMA Design Firm. “This philosophy reflects our consistent design principles and was approved unanimously by the owner’s board.”
The building houses four main functional areas: a new car showroom and maintenance space, a VIP lounge, and administrative offices. From the front, the facade tilts backward, guiding visitors toward the plaza in front. The concave curvature between two flat volumes forms an entrance buffer zone and gate. The showroom features a slanted floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall that enhances visibility, while angled columns add dynamic tension to the interior display area. The maintenance section cleverly conceals the service entrance on the west side and provides functional shelter with a two-story cantilever.
An indoor staircase wrapped in a continuous triangular shell leads visitors to the VIP lounge on the second floor. The second floor continues the design language with triangular facets on interior walls that serve both decorative and bar storage purposes. At the far end, the management offices feature continuous surfaces that maximize natural light and offer views of nearby open spaces and greenery. The movement of the building volumes creates a two-story outdoor terrace, providing visitors with a viewing platform overlooking the landscape. This space also allows for future expansion, accommodating events such as new car launches and test drive gatherings.
The architect carefully balanced the exhibition hall’s spatial needs with the project’s corporate culture. Using horizontal continuity and vertical twisting design strategies, the building’s form is shaped by internal volumes and circulation paths. The bold and distinctive facade offers a striking visual experience, inviting visitors to explore freely within this vast “supercar” environment.
Project Drawings
▲ Design Sketch
▲ First Floor Plan
▲ Second Floor Plan
▲ Elevation View
▲ Section Perspective View
▲ Exploded Axonometric Diagram
Project Information
Project Type: Store
Architectural Design: Puma Architectural Design Firm
Area: 1,030 m²
Project Year: 2019
Photographer: Summer Solstice
Responsible Partner: Wang Chuan
Architectural and Interior Design Team: Qu Pingshan, Xue Yan, Zhao Bo, Li Tao, Diego Ramirez, Filippo Ogliani, Rossella Corica, Zhang Qingqing, Xu Ting, Liu Qiyuan, Tan Qingjun, Wang Chidi
Landscape Design Team: Teng Xiaoyi, Ma Haitao
Construction Drawing Unit: Shenzhen United Creative Art Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Construction Unit: Tianxing Construction Co., Ltd
Owners: Lamborghini Automobile Co., Ltd., Henan Zhongyue Lamborghini Automobile Sales Co., Ltd
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