BALANCE BETWEEN LIFE AND NATURE:
KITCHEN APPLIANCE SHOWROOM IN ABSTRACT NORDIC FOREST

STUDIO8 Architects recently completed the design of the Nordic kitchen appliance brand ASKO’s first domestic flagship experience center. STUDIO8 was responsible for the building facade renovation and interior design of the experience center. The experience center is located in Lujiazui Binjiang Financial City next to the old shipyard in Pudong. Each building along the street has a different architectural facade style representing its own corporate image.

How to express brand value in space? STUDIO8 has defined “responsibility” as the concept and aim of this project, expressing both the brand’s attention to the environment and STUDIO8’s sense of responsibility as an architecture firm in commercial space renovation projects.

The inspiration for the interior design comes from the abstract beauty of the Nordic forest. The architects use multiple dimensions such as technology, space, color, material, and landscape to tell multiple narratives, allowing visitors to feel as if they are walking in an abstract Nordic forest, immersing themselves in the quality of life and environmental awareness conveyed by the space and exhibits.

The building facade transforms the consideration of sustainable lifestyle into spatial language. STUDIO8 delivered a simple and responsible solution for the facade design. The second facade of matte black sunshade louvers wrap around the original glass facade. Under the sunlight, light and shadow shining through the gaps of the aluminum louvers outline the “expressions” of the two spaces divided by the building façade, leaving a quiet but significant note on this street different from other corporate pavilions on the street. The density of the shading louvers gradually become sparse from top to bottom, providing different levels of transparency and privacy for indoor spaces on different floors. From outside, the building facade looks like morning mist rising on the Nordic horizon and gradually dissipating.

The “expressions” on the façade are the result of precise calculations of the building’s orientation and the angles of sunlight at different seasons within a year. In summer, it can reduce the energy consumption required by the exhibition hall due to shading system; and in winter, it can introduce beautiful light and shadow, raising the energy efficiency inside the experience center. At the same time, its transparency allows the interior to be vaguely visible from the street. Like the concept of “forest”, it creates a profound and gentle visual experience. This design, which combines aesthetics and environmental protection, reflects the practice of sustainable lifestyle.

Based on the circulation flow and the existing structural columns on the site, STUDIO8 organically arranged a “tree array” of irregular polygons with different sizes. Especially on the first floor, the double height space near the facade resembles towering trees and, with the lighting fixtures, gives visitors an impressing feeling as if they are strolling in a primitive forest. Green plants are scattered throughout the space and terrace, showing life everywhere. There are edible spices such as mint and rosemary. While appreciating, the concept of sustainability is also embodied in the details of the space.

The balance between life and nature comes from the harmonious symbiotic relationship between humans and the environment. The aim is to create an abstract experience that transforms the physical space of the experience center into an immersive walk in nature, bringing visitors into the serene and fresh “Nordic forest” atmosphere. The architects cleverly incorporated various abstract elements of nature, such as icebergs, oceans, and forests, into the exhibition hall, allowing visitors to feel the natural tension brought by the materials and narrating the story of the Nordic forest. The metaphorical global issues such as global warming and pollution are also environmental problems that the design and brand want to focus on and explore. Communicating brand philosophy and thoughts through space is the original intention of the design this time.

The second floor is a VIP dining area where guests can feel the refinement and ceremony lifestyle in the dining space surrounded by a fireplace and an open kitchen. On this floor, the elements of the abstract Nordic forest are not as strong as on the first floor, but they are still clearly visible in the double height space connected to the first floor. The density of the sunshade louvers on the building facade of the second floor provides both a distant view of the outside and a certain degree of obstruction, providing privacy for the VIP dining area.

The third floor is a small wine and cigar room for business discussion. Here, the elements of the abstract forest are no longer visible, but are replaced by a terrace surrounded by maple trees and edible herbs, reconnecting with the city. The ground of the terrace is made of raised reclaimed wood floor, simple and environmentally friendly.

In response to the problems of excessive urbanization and unbalanced agricultural cultivation, the vertical greening, hydroponic greening, and terrace greening in the showroom have chosen edible varieties such as rosemary, basil, sage, and mint. Besides landscaping purposes, they are also provided to participants in cooking training for experience.

In the end, as a kitchen appliance brand experience center, the responsibilities that companies and architects can do and bear are still very limited, and the urgency of environmental issues requires more attention. Therefore, in different corners of the showroom, there are descriptions of the environmental situation and issues at the time of the completion of the Asko House, serving as reminders to all visitors of their environmental protection awareness.

In addition, the project also uses reclaimed materials, energy-saving lighting fixtures, and intelligent environmental protection facilities, fully reflecting the Nordic style’s emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable living. The integration of philosophy and modern technology creates an exhibition space that is not only contemporary but also highly humanistic.

This showroom design perfectly captures the essence of the balance between life and nature, demonstrating the brand’s and designer’s practice of nature and sustainable development. Through the clever integration of design elements, visitors can intuitively feel the tranquility and vitality brought by the space while exploring the journey of the abstract Nordic forest, and at the same time, rethink the importance of a sustainable lifestyle.

生活与自然间的平衡
抽象北欧森林中的厨电展厅

八荒设计近日完成了北欧厨电品牌ASKO在国内的首家旗舰体验中心设计，八荒设计负责体验中心的建筑立面改造以及室内设计。体验中心位于浦东老船厂边的陆家嘴滨江金融城，沿街建筑各自有着分别代表自己企业形象的不同建筑立面风格。
如何将品牌价值表达于空间？八荒设计将“责任”定为设计主题，一方面表达品牌堆环境的关注，也表达了八荒作为建筑事务所，对商业空间建筑改造项目的使命感。
室内设计灵感来自于北欧森林的抽象之美。设计师在技术、空间、色彩、材质和景观等不同维度多重叙事，让漫步于展厅的参观者仿佛置身于一片抽象的北欧森林，沉浸式地体验空间和展品所传达的生活品质和环境意识。
建筑立面将对可持续生活方式的思考转化为空间语言，八荒设计在此次外立面设计上交付了一个简单负责的解决方案。黑色哑光遮阳格栅的二次立面包裹在原来的玻璃立面上，在阳光照射下，铝合金遮阳格栅缝隙中透出的光影，勾勒出建筑内外两个空间的“表情”，在这条企业馆林立的街道上落下一个既有分量又安静的音符。遮阳格栅自上至下密度逐渐稀疏，为不同楼层室内空间提供不同的通透度和私密性。建筑立面从外部看起来如同北欧地平线上升起的晨雾，逐渐消散。
幕墙上的“表情”是经过对建筑朝向以及一年内不同季节日光照射角度的精密计算后，所得出的最佳角度与密度，在夏天可以减少展厅因日照所需消耗的能源，冬天则可以引入优美的光影，有效减少展厅内部的能源消耗。同时有着极强的通透性，从街道可隐约看到展厅内部，一如“森林”的概念，打造出一种意味深长而又柔和的视觉体验。美学与环保兼具的设计，体现了对可持续生活方式的践行。
八荒设计依据动线，结合场地中原有的结构柱，有机地布置了粗细不一，截面为不规则多边形的“树阵”，尤其是一楼靠近立面的挑空空间，形似参天大树，配合灯光，让初临展厅的访客仿佛漫步原始森林般震撼。绿色植物散布在展厅各处以及露台，无处不显郁郁生机。品种有薄荷、迷迭香等可食香料。观赏的同时，可持续理念也付诸在空间各处细节内。
生活与自然之间的平衡来自于人与环境的和谐共生关系。旨在创造一段将展厅物理空间转化为能使人身临其境的漫步大自然的抽象体验，将访客带入感受“北欧森林”的静谧清新。设计团队在展厅中巧妙加入各种抽象的自然元素，如冰山、海洋和森林，感受材质自带的天然张力同时亦将北欧森林的故事娓娓道来。其隐喻的全球变暖和污染等全球问题，也是本次设计及品牌想要关注探讨的环境问题。以空间传达品牌理念及思考，也正是八荒此次设计的初衷。
二楼是VIP用餐区，在壁炉和开放厨房围绕的用餐空间中，能够感受生活的精致和仪式感。在这层楼，抽象北欧森林的元素虽不像一楼那么强烈，但仍在与一楼连接的挑空空间清晰可见。二楼高度建筑立面上的遮阳格栅密度始终，既可远眺窗外，又形成一定的遮挡，为VIP用餐空间提供了私密性。
三楼是一个小型的红酒雪茄室，用于洽谈。在这里已经看不到抽象森林的元素，取而代之的是被枫树和香草围绕的露台，重新与城市连接。露台的地面是抬高的再生木地板，环保质朴。
针对过度城市化以及农耕不平衡的环境问题，展厅里的垂直绿化、水培绿化以及露台绿化选择了迷迭香、罗勒、鼠尾草、薄荷等可食品种，除了景观用途，也提供给前来参加烹饪培训的体验者。
最终，作为厨电品牌体验馆，企业和建筑师所能做的和担负的责任还是非常有限的，环境问题的迫切性需要更多人来关注。因此在展厅中的各个角落都写有一些展厅落成时的环境现状和问题，作为引起所有参观者环境保护责任的提示。
此外，展馆还采用了可再生材料、节能照明和智能环保设施，全方位体现出北欧风格对环境保护和可持续生活的重视。将理念和现代科技融合创造一个展厅空间，不仅具有未来感，也极具人文主义色彩。
本次展厅设计完美地捕捉了生活与自然平衡之美的精髓，展示了品牌及设计师对自然和可持续发展的实践。通过巧妙的设计元素融合，让访客在探索抽象北欧森林的旅程中，直观地感受空间所带来静谧与生命力，同时思考可持续生活方式的重要性。