Architects: CROSSBOUNDARIES
Area: 3,600 m²
Year: 2016
Photography: Yang Chaoying
Lead Architects: Binke Lenhardt, Dong Hao
Project Team: Maria Francesca Origa, Hayger Chan, Li Zhenyu
Collaborators: BMW China Design Team
Client: China Zheng Tong Auto Services Holdings Ltd.
City: Beijing
Country: China
The Zhengtong BMW Museum, a car exhibition space designed by CROSSBOUNDARIES in Beijing, highlights vintage BMW models in a culturally resonant gallery. Completed in 2016, the museum features design elements that combine modern materials with references to traditional Chinese architecture. Visitors experience the exhibition through multi-leveled, interactive spaces, concluding with entertainment areas and smaller exhibits.
The Zhengtong BMW Museum in Beijing reflects the refined tastes of the Chinese collector through a design created by CROSSBOUNDARIES. The gallery space emphasizes the exclusivity of the vintage BMWs, while incorporating local cultural touches to resonate with the regional audiences.
The exhibition begins on the third floor. Visitors enter through a nearly two-story, bright space that leads past a reception area, where horizontal lighting strips on the vertical surfaces symbolize speed. The design then transitions into a lower, more intimate lounge area.
Beyond layers of red fabric resembling a traditional Chinese gate, the exhibition space unfolds. This area is divided into various zones, combining display and relaxation spaces.
White, light, and semi-transparent fabric banner hang from the open ceiling. These banners help reduce the scale of the high ceiling to a more human level, while the extensive use of white fabric suggests openness. The red gate in the background evokes an imperial atmosphere.
The neutral white setting highlights the few exhibition pieces, enhancing their exclusivity.
The horizontal lighting strips extend into the main exhibition space, where multimedia displays area integrated into the perimeter walls. In the middle of exhibition area, fabric banners are used for projections, and seating areas are positioned around the display pieces.
On the fourth floor, the visitor ascends via a freestanding staircase to reach two long car display platforms. With more cars displayed here, the key feature is the white back-painted glass platforms with stainless steel strips and edges. The metal lines on the platforms mimic the lighting strips seen on the third floor, and the information walls continue along the perimeter.
A stainless steel ceiling mirrors the platforms, making the space appear larger. Specialized lighting illuminates the cars. The layout of the platforms offers a clear path through the car history, encouraging visitor interaction.
At the end of the exhibition, a movie theater, game room, and smaller item displays complete the experience. Natural light guides visitors toward the elevators at this final stage of the exhibit.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Beijing, China
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
