You may not have heard of Oppo, but that could change very, very soon. As one of China‘s biggest cell phone manufacturers, it has traditionally set itself apart from the competition with physical stores in the country’s biggest cities, and as of late, the company has begun to establish design-led flagship stores. It’s a special category of Oppo retail spaces where brand immersion is maximized through a mix of experiential design and technology, and following openings in Shanghai and Singapore, a third flagship store has opened in Shenzhen. Considered as the hi-tech hub of the Pearl River Delta, a global megacity in the making, a bold footprint here is obviously required, but also carries great symbolism for the brand. The flagship store is strategically situated on the ground floor of a modern multi-storey building, flanked on one side by Huaqiang Bei Jiedao, a busy pedestrian zone lined with large electronics stores, and on the other side, one of the area’s main thoroughfares.
The design sees a renewed collab with Guangzhou-based architecture practice Domani, and is quite appropriately themed urban living room. From afar, a façade clad in panels of chrome mirrors and frosted mirrors beckons customers to its doorstep. The façade is backlit, and in the evening it offers a framed backdrop of staggered lines for the Oppo sign. The setting inside, encased in floor-to-ceiling glass, is clean and understated, and aims to effortlessly connect with passers-by and customers through an inviting open space where they can freely explore and navigate towards the products of their interest. This element draws from the urban character of Shenzhen, being very much a city of immigrants and plentiful endeavours on any level. The interior is furnished with elongated cabinets and displays crafted from wood and glass, all set against an expansive LED wall. Interestingly, specially made company videos are screened that provide an insight in Oppo‘s brand culture, instead of commercial advertising.
Oppo
Hualianfa Building,
Huaqiang Bei Jiedao, Shop A101 (Manha Commercial Plaza)
518031 Shenzhen
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
