faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI’s shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight

the revamped DJI flagship store by various associates features an irregular standalone building with a sleek renovated interior.

Sunshine edited by thomai tsimpou September 6, 2024 5 min

Various Associates renews DJI’s global largest flagship store

Various Associates breathes new life into DJI’s largest global flagship store, located at OCT Harbour on Shenzhen Bay, China to reflect the technology company’s innovation and technological expertise. Spanning nearly 4,000 square meters, the store features an irregular standalone building with a sleek renovated interior across four levels. The building’s irregular structure, characterized by large glass curtain walls and angled surfaces, allows sunlight to flood the interior. The ceiling’s origami-like structure mimics the building’s faceted exterior, allowing controlled natural light to fill the space. However, the local climate’s intense heat necessitated careful planning for the top floor, where sunlight exposure is especially strong. Elements like propeller blade-inspired fixtures and exploded views of DJI’s iconic drones emphasize the brand’s identity.

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 1 — all images by SFAP, courtesy of Various Associates

the building features an outdoor drone test-flying area

Various Associates aims to solve site mobility and sunlight exposure by introducing a new architectural skin inside the building, reconfiguring it to manage light while preserving the original geometric aesthetic. The revamped space integrates smooth customer flow, blending sales, product experiences, after-sales support, and training for the company’s full product range. Beyond the main entrance, visitors are welcomed into the DJI Oasis, an outdoor space featuring gentle ramps that lead through landscaped lawns arranged in triangular patterns. Control towers resembling contemporary art installations dot the Oasis, marking designated areas for drone test flights. ‘You can test your drone in the outdoor test flight area and may see the drone light show at night consisting of thousands of drones taking off, lifting off, lining up, and then returning.’ the Chinese studio explains. The newly added staircase in the Oasis ensures that visitors can access all floors of the building, creating a loop of movement between interior and exterior spaces. The first-floor product display area is defined by clean lines and floating stands, while stone flooring and sunlight create an inviting, warm atmosphere.

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 2 — beyond the main entrance, visitors are welcomed into the DJI Oasis

celebrating DJI’s achievements in the Shenzhen store

On the third floor, the Hasselblad Experience Station contrasts DJI’s light-filled spaces with a darker, gallery-like environment, showcasing the brand’s long-standing heritage. The station showcases Hasselblad’s rich heritage, with solid display counters and dark gray panels contributing to its design. Despite the limited ceiling height, the design team concealed equipment like air outlets and speakers within a metal grille system, maintaining clean aesthetics. Adjacent to this is the DJI Service Center, where custom seating, complete with charging ports, meets the needs of guests, and a specialized recycling cabinet allows for the repair and exchange of products. At the top of the store is the DJI Horizon Hall, a 15-meter-high space where natural light filters through the newly added interior skin, casting geometric patterns across the hall. This grand space is used for product launches and special events, while a surrounding cultural gallery, inspired by a control tower, celebrates DJI’s technological achievements and future-forward vision.

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 3 — large glass curtain walls and angled surfaces allow sunlight to flood the interior

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 4 — Various Associates breathes new life into DJI’s largest global flagship store

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 5 — the ceiling’s origami-like structure mimics the building’s faceted exterior

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 6 — controlled natural light fills the space

faceted-glass-curtain-walls-dji-shenzhen-origami-flagship-store-sunlight-various-associates-designboom-1800-03 — elements like propeller blade-inspired fixtures and exploded views of DJI’s drones emphasize the brand’s identity

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 7 — Various Associates aims to solve site mobility and sunlight exposure

faceted-glass-curtain-walls-dji-shenzhen-origami-flagship-store-sunlight-various-associates-designboom-1800-04 — the revamped space integrates smooth customer flow, blending sales, product experiences, and after-sales support

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 8 — clean lines and floating stands, while stone flooring and sunlight create an inviting, warm atmosphere

faceted glass curtain walls flood DJI's shenzhen origami-like flagship store with sunlight - 9 — On the third floor, the Hasselblad Experience Station contrasts light-filled spaces with a darker environment

faceted-glass-curtain-walls-dji-shenzhen-origami-flagship-store-sunlight-various-associates-designboom-1800-02 — dark gray panels contribute to the design

DJI Horizon Hall, a 15-meter-high space where natural light filters through the added skin control towers resembling contemporary art installations the local climate’s intense heat necessitated careful planning for the top floor a loop of movement between interior and exterior spaces stone flooring and sunlight create an inviting, warm atmosphere custom seating, complete with charging ports, meets the needs of guests the newly added staircase ensures that visitors can access all floors despite the limited ceiling height, the design team concealed equipment like air outlets and speakers the first-floor product display area is defined by clean lines and floating stands sunlight exposure is especially strong on the first floor a specialized recycling cabinet allows for the repair and exchange of products at the top of the store is the DJI Horizon Hall managing light while preserving the original geometric aesthetic

project info:

name: DJI Flagship Store
architect: Various Associates | @various_associates

client: DJI | @DJIglobal
location: Shenzhen, China
area: 4,000 sqm
chief designers: Qianyi Lin, Dongzi Yang Project
management: Hanqun Cai
project principal: Yuwen Deng Design team: Zebing Li, Benzhen Pan, Chao Luo, Junrui Zhang, Qian Xie
lighting design: GD Lighting Design
MEP design: Tongji Architects Co., Ltd. Shenzhen
structural design: Tongji Architects Co., Ltd. Shenzhen
contractor: HECIAN
photographer: SFAP | @shaofengap

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