Commercial Cultural Architecture
Wuxi Xibao is a BMW brand car sales and service 4S store housed within a single, centralized building. The design honors and continues the traditional architectural culture of Jiangnan. At the heart of the building lies an inner courtyard inspired by traditional Jiangnan residences, encircled by staircases that lead to the rooftop. This courtyard offers customers a serene view while they explore car products. Both the exterior and interior courtyard facades feature white ceramic tiles, a material choice that pays homage to tradition and reflects BMW’s corporate logo color.
Functional Layout
The architectural plan is square and organized, divided primarily into eastern and western zones according to function. On the first floor, the west side contains the new car sales showroom, sales center, and after-sales reception, while the east side houses the maintenance workshop. The second floor’s western area serves as the used car sales showroom and after-sales offices, with the eastern side continuing as a maintenance workshop. The third floor’s west area is dedicated to dealer offices, and the east side contains garages. The vehicle ramp is positioned along the east exterior wall.
Structural System
The horizontal structural elements consist of plain concrete coffered panel slabs with double-sided ribbed beams, inspired by the coffered panels found in classical Chinese architecture. Each beam grid module measures 1.35 by 1.35 meters, coordinating with the steel column and curtain wall grid modules. The first-floor exhibition hall features V-shaped steel columns spaced 8.1 meters apart, offering broad support and an open, distinctive space ideal for car displays. The second and third floors utilize steel columns to accommodate workshops, garages, and offices, allowing flexible space arrangements. The eaves and beams are crafted from plain concrete without decoration, emphasizing the natural texture and structural aesthetics of the building while showcasing the durability of the materials.
Facade Design
The exterior of Xibaoxing blends modern materials with traditional construction techniques, featuring a masonry texture of pink and white hollow brick walls. The enclosure system includes a double-layer facade, where the outer layer uses white ceramic hollow bricks inspired by Jiangnan’s hollow bucket wall technique. These gray-white ceramic bricks are produced using advanced Yixing technology and are installed with a dry-hanging system. The second and third floors incorporate three different densities of hollow proportions to satisfy spatial openness requirements, which vary by function. This rich facade texture creates dynamic light and shadow effects inside. The inner transparent glass curtain wall acts as a climate barrier and also serves a display purpose. Together, the double-layer facade and its materials strike a balance between maintaining indoor thermal comfort and ensuring fresh air circulation.
Landscape Design
The landscape design draws inspiration from traditional Chinese courtyard houses, organizing three-dimensional courtyards that add layered spatial depth. Starting from the “water courtyard”—a goldfish pond reflecting a bamboo forest in the inner courtyard—visitors can ascend the spiral staircase to reach the second-floor platform, and ultimately the rooftop landscape terrace.
Energy-Saving Features
Xibaoxing incorporates a variety of energy-saving technologies, fully embracing BMW’s commitment to energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental responsibility:
1. Energy, water, and material-saving initiatives include integrated civil engineering and interior decoration, ground source heat pump air conditioning, water recycling systems for car washes, photovoltaic power generation, and LED lighting.
2. Environmental protection features include rainwater reuse systems and glass curtain walls designed to control light pollution.
Project Drawings
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Wall Details
Project Information
Customer: Wuxi Xibaoxing
Location: No. 2 Tianming Road, Huishan District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province
Lead Architect: Zhang Yonghe
Project Team: Liang Xiaoning, Liu Chao, Zhang Bowen, Cheng Yishi, Jiang Yi
Construction Drawing Design: Wuxi Light University Architectural Design Institute
Building Structure: Steel Structure, Reinforced Concrete Structure
Base Area: 14,819 square meters
Building Area: 23,929 square meters
Building Height: 22.2 meters
Design Period: 2019–2020
Construction Period: 2021–2023
Completion Year: 2023
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