Hangzhou, China – The second NIO House automotive showroom designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects opened recently in Hangzhou, China overlooking the West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is one of the most beautiful sights in the country. As with the architectural firm’s first NIO House, which opened in Shanghai in February, NIO House West Lake is a design-centric take on the traditional car showroom for innovative electric car company NIO. A global start-up, NIO designs and develops high-performance electric and autonomous vehicles, while taking an unconventional view of the industry and redefining what premium service means for a car company.

“The West Lake is an intense confluence of different natural atmospheres that inspired the design of NIO House West Lake and the feeling of the space,” said Chris Hardie, Partner and Design Director Shanghai at Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. “The interior design also reflects the form and materials of NIO models like the ES8 and EVE by using clean lines and pushing material boundaries,” added Chris.

The NIO logo, which combines the notions of moving into the future with the imagery of driving into the horizon, was greatly influenced by the horizon over West Lake. The design of the Hangzhou showroom takes inspiration from this simple dichotomy of sky and water.