Electric vehicle brand nio is disrupting auto retail with a human-centric flagship

Tasked to design the first service hub for car brand Nio in China’s Nanchang, Lukstudio designed a community-focused ‘living room’ that elevates the ownership experience.

Electric automotive company Nio has been building its global user community with the opening of its Nio Houses, which the brand describes as ‘open, welcoming space for our users and community to express, share and experience memorable moments together.’ The Nanchang location, located inside a shopping mall, is one of the latest to be added to the roster. Lukstudio was commissioned to realize the interior design and façade. An open-plan gallery approach defines the ground floor display area. Here, a mirrored ceiling extends the space visually, while floors and walls are covered in white terrazzo. On the first floor a continuous arched ceiling, inspired by water waves, ‘hangs’ over a warm multifunctional wooden living room (which can be converted into a conference space), shared social spaces and an in-house café. What’s more: along the east wall, visitors will find an enclosed meeting room, nursery and children’s playroom.

Frame’s take 

As we’ve previously discussed in a #FrameLive session on disrupting auto retail in a post-ownership world, today’s most progressive car showrooms are more about building a brand’s community than selling vehicles, especially now that our definition of ‘mobility’ is continuing to evolve. ‘It’s really about getting access to the community, being attractive to new generations, sharing information and breeding the value of the brand,’ said Liganova managing director Mathias Ullrich, who has worked with Mercedes-Benz on Studio Odeonsplatz in Munich, which he refers to as a ‘prototype for innovative and connected content hubs’.

The Nanchang Nio House is another key example of a car flagship that reformats the conventional showroom in favour of a more welcoming, community-driven environment. Several areas – including bookable meeting areas, a café and ‘living’ room – invite to dwell, socialize, work, relax or meet, while the in-house nursery and children’s playroom keep families in mind. Nio (with the help of Lukstudio) has managed to elevate the dealership experience by shifting focus from cars to community.

Source: FRAME