A mixed-use building situated in the heart of the city.
Following the success of its recent European launch event, NIO has emerged as a prominent player in the international high-end new energy vehicle market. In China, the brand is already a market leader. Known for pioneering the user community concept and avant-garde designs, NIO Centers have gained widespread recognition. To elevate the user experience, NIO and the design team delve into the cultural heritage of the city where the project is located, integrating these elements into the design to create a distinctive environment. After completing the NIO Center in Nanchang, Zhizuo Studio was invited once again to renovate a two-story standalone building with a courtyard in Jinan.
Along the street, the building features three sloping roofs and two inner courtyards.
△ First floor plan – regular layout
△ First floor plan – regular layout
△ Second floor plan
Located on Kuangli Commercial Street near the Black Tiger Spring, this building was constructed in 2015. It serves as an exhibition space featuring three sloping roofs and two inner courtyards. Previously, the site had been modified into commercial space by demolishing the inner courtyard to increase indoor area.
△ Original appearance of the building
Beneath layered aluminum eaves, a tall glass curtain wall stands prominently.
△ Original appearance of the north facade
△ Renovated north facade
△ Original appearance of the south facade
△ Renovated south facade
During this renovation, Zhizuo Studio restored the architectural order and introduced an open space, blending the modern “new” layout with the existing “old” brick and concrete structure to achieve a harmonious transformation.
△ Facade showcasing the coexistence of old and new elements
The iconic material palette of the exhibition hall features white terrazzo walls and floors, paired with a mirrored stainless steel ceiling.
The building visually contrasts modern and traditional architectural styles, dividing the exhibition hall and car owners’ club into two distinct sections. The car exhibition hall, facing the main street, boasts a tall glass curtain wall that openly showcases the high-tech space to passersby. Layered aluminum eaves with gentle slopes project outward, while the traditional wooden arch structure is reinterpreted using contemporary materials and design.
△ View from the exhibition hall entrance leading to the user club
The courtyard is restored using old bricks and blue tiles, featuring a bluestone spring at its center, reflecting the unique urban landscape of the “Spring City”.
Moving inward from the exhibition hall, the club entrance welcomes car owners with a serene courtyard view. The courtyard features restored old bricks and traditional water wave patterns crafted with green tiles on the ground. Bamboo and ferns are planted throughout, with a simple bluestone spring placed at the center, harmonizing natural charm and echoing the distinctive urban identity of the “Spring City”.
The tranquil courtyard and exhibition area warmly welcome every car owner.
The open plan under the beam and column structure connects the north and south sections, offering clear and transparent views through the hallway.
The car owners’ club, located beneath three sloping roofs, retains the original concrete beam and column structure. This defines an open user space aligned along the north-south axis, creating unobstructed views through the hall.
△ Original interior view of the sloping roof
The wood-grain aluminum panel ceiling complements the building’s original sloping roof.
The lightweight aluminum panels create a striking contrast with the solid concrete structure, balancing lightness and heaviness.
The design team drew inspiration from the original sloping roof, using wood-grain aluminum panels to form a series of inclined ceilings. These panels contrast with the heavy concrete structure, emphasizing a balance between lightness and solidity. Each aluminum plate is independent, with track spotlights and air conditioning vents discreetly hidden within gaps. The ceiling vertices are arranged in a “human” shape pattern, and a strip skylight introduces natural sunlight into the space.
NIO Café sits at the heart of the car owners’ club.
Gathering spaces beneath sloping roofs and skylights.
Hidden cabinets contain movable partitions, allowing the multifunctional hall to be independently divided during yoga classes or sharing events.
The carpet design in the children’s area is inspired by moss lawns.
Wooden staircase embedded within the white interior space.
△ Detail highlights emphasizing lightness and modernity
The car owners’ club centers around NIO Café, with a multifunctional hall to the south serving as a popular gathering space, and a children’s play area plus stairs leading to the second floor located to the north. Wooden counters, exhibition booths, and staircases act as independent “building blocks” embedded within the minimalist white gallery space, bringing warmth and texture alongside the wood-grain ceiling system.
△ Transparent acrylic bases supporting “floating” wooden trays
A series of floor-standing exhibition booths of varying heights were designed to emphasize contrasts of lightness and heaviness. The booth countertops appear as floating wooden trays, supported by transparent acrylic bases. This design not only creates a visually light effect but also modernizes traditional mortise and tenon joinery details.
The skylight above the staircase guides visitors to the second floor.
The white wall, bathed in sunlight, creates a peaceful atmosphere.
The white gradient glass handrail gently defines inner and outer edges, adding a misty and poetic ambiance to the building’s facade.
Ascending the stairs, the original flat roof area on the second floor has been reinforced and transformed into an outdoor terrace. The terrace is bordered by white gradient laminated glass railings, which not only ensure visitor privacy but also softly delineate the boundaries, contributing a misty and poetic atmosphere to the building’s exterior.
A dreamlike dialogue between old and new.
△ Connecting outdoor terraces from different eras.
From this elevated vantage point, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the towering skyline of the “Spring City” while also appreciating the traditional blue bricks and tiles of the architecture below. Every new energy vehicle user visiting the Jinan NIO Center embarks on a remarkable journey through time, envisioning the future together.
Project Information
Client: NIO
Location: No. 3, Heihuquan West Road, Lixia District, Jinan City, Shandong Province
Usable Area: 730 square meters
Design Team: LUKSTUDIO Studio (www.lukstudio design.com)
Design Director: Lu Yingzhi
Project Team: Zhang Yicheng, Wang Haixin, Du Xue, Tan Limiao, Gao Yong
Scope: Architecture, Interior, Landscape
Design Period: August 2021 – December 2021
Construction Period: March 2022 – July 2022
Lighting Consultant: Hangzhou Shumang Lighting Design Co., Ltd
Drawing Development: Hongsheng Architectural Decoration Design Engineering (Shanghai) Co., Ltd
Furniture: grid HAY, Jieyi, Jiangfeng, Tiwu, Zhiyin
Photography: Wen Studio
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