Shenzhen Ping’an NIO House opens to the public in China

The Chapman Taylor-designed Shenzhen Ping’an NIO House opened to the Chinese public on 5 August.

NIO is a Chinese producer of electric cars, designing cars which incorporate cutting-edge technology, including autonomous vehicles. To create a high-end user experience, NIO operates a series of ‘NIO Houses’ which act as both a showroom and as a social space for NIO car owners.

The Shenzhen Ping’an NIO House is designed to continue the NIO House ethos. As with other NIO Houses, the Shenzhen NIO House has its own unique layout, housing the lifestyle elements of the concept: Gallery, Living Room, Library, Open Kitchen, Forum and the children’s Joy Camp.

The development is split over two levels, with each offering a different feeling. The showroom gallery space on ground level is cool, calm and fluid, creating a space that encourages prospective users to explore.

On the upper level is the clubhouse, a warm, inviting space reminiscent of the humanistic design styles of Scandinavia. The design approach was to create a continuity between the different areas and subtly add or subtract ‘warm’ elements to create a difference in mood and feeling appropriate to the specific context. This use of colour and the simple palette of materials creates a comfortable social environment and helps to foster a sense of community among NIO’s customers.