JIDU Showroom, Shanghai

​JIDU is a joint venture between Chinese tech giant Baidu and car manufacturer Geely. In 2021, the company made history with the launch of its hyper-intelligent, AI-driven, autonomous ROBOCARs. We were commissioned to design the world’s first showroom for the brand to showcase all JIDU’s latest models. Our goal was to create an immersive portal that teleports visitors straight into the JIDU universe.

The showroom consists of three areas on the first floor of a luxury shopping centre in Lujiazui Financial Centre, which can be accessed from the outside as well as through the shopping centre. A vibrant JIDU logo on the exterior façade arouses curiosity for the brand and draws visitors into the world of JIDU. The two entrances are connected by a tunnel that displays a large-scale multimedia installation. Moreover, the digital content and the lighting of the portal are constantly in motion, responding to the movements of visitors.

The journey into the future begins in the café, a cubic foyer with two openings that reveal a first glimpse of the different ROBOCAR models. Here, customers are welcomed by JIDU brand ambassadors with a refreshing drink before coming into contact with the cars for the first time. Inspired by the metallic finish of the ROBOCARs, the display area also has a metallic appearance. Against this background, the vehicle models are presented as approachable objects of desire. Visitors experience the tingle of encountering true pioneering technology for the first time – and arriving in the future.

The event area offers a forum for events, film presentations and exchange. With square grids on the wall and ceiling and cube seating dotted about, we play on a pixel theme that evokes associations with computer games, technologies and AI. The journey continues in the studio area, where potential buyers can delve deeper into the world of JIDU. Car parts, colour samples and material variations are presented at an oversized table in characteristic JIDU purple. Future ROBOCAR owners can individualise their car here, which is projected live on a large screen before their eyes.

The journey ends in the VIP salon and in a one-to-one sales talk with a brand ambassador. It is only a matter of time before buyers can watch their ROBOCAR leave the garage here on a large screen, drive up to the showroom on autopilot and be ready to take them on their virgin drive.