Standing in the open gallery at the entrance of JUNG Shanghai showroom, daylight filters down through a roof opening. A glance toward the surrounding mall reveals similar roofs, apertures, and shafts of light not far away. Almost imperceptibly, the passage of time carried by natural light aligns with the pace of movement within the space, establishing a subtle connection.
Between exterior and interior, space and people, architecture is approached through a relational perspective. It is no longer perceived as a purely physical object, but as a medium of communication and imbued with a sense of spirit. What begins as an intuition-led approach to shaping space gradually develops into a more defined architectural practice, articulated through clear paths and precise expressions. The work consistently explores the presentation and use of space through the lens of “purity” and “repetition.”
“Purity” here is a process of distillation, removing all but the most essential elements, walls, the color white, the intrinsic qualities of materials and space itself. What remains is an undistracted field where space is encountered directly by the body.
“Repetition” here operates quite clearly in religious architecture. Moving through repeated forms, the path is shaped by an underlying order—axis and sequence. Within this directed movement, repetition gives rise to gradual shifts in perception.
Among two spatial strategies that both embody "purity and repetition"—the "centralized enclosure" and the "nine-square grid”, the project ultimately adopts the latter. The former is characterized by a movement that begins at the periphery and progresses inward around a center, creating depth. The latter, by contrast, organizes space by an apparently even distribution, defines how one moves, allowing space to act with movement itself.
The project is located on the third floor of CIMEN mall. The idea is to weave the past and future of this German brand, founded in 1912, into a coherent spatial construct, while giving it a distinct spatial identity within the mall. Conceived as a small building within a larger one, the showroom is focused on experience and perception, offering the possibility of being moved by a physical space aligned with bodily awareness.
The journey begins upon arrival at the third floor. Even before entering, colored light emanating from the center of the showroom becomes visible through the showcase that forms the first impression. Within a nine-square grid, where eight quadrants surround a central hall, the sequence unfolds with clarity. Entry is made through an open gallery, followed by a passage through the central hall leading to the product showroom. A second passage returns to the central hall and continues toward the experience area. A third passage leads once more through the center to the meeting room, completing a circuit around the core. Within each zone, circulation follows a clockwise direction. The entire route is precisely composed as part of the architectural design.
The open gallery at the entrance is the first space presents to all visitors. It remains relatively independent, set apart from the central hall by an automatic sliding door. Visitors coming here are drawn to Le Corbusier's colored switch series, meanwhile, the other areas are kept inaccessible
Moving beyond the open gallery, the glass door is activated by an elbow switch and opens gradually, inviting visitors into the central hall—a miniature museum. Here, images unfold across four pieces of walls, showing JUNG’s headquarter in Schalksmühle, Germany. For more than a century, its manufacturing has remained set within the forest. As the founder, Mr. Albrecht Jung, described, every journey back to the factory is a journey home, a return into the forest. Meanwhile, four switch works representing four different historical periods of JUNG are exhibited in the middle vitrines. The exhibits combines with films becomes an immersive experience.
After this brief show, visitors head to the showroom at the east zone, where a guide walks them through the various product lines. Returning to the central hall from a different direction, visitors notice the far door frame has been deliberately narrowed which becomes a quiet control over what comes into view. Another short film begins. A timeline appears across the walls, tracing key moments in JUNG's history. The combination of images and shifting lights recalls a feeling that is familiar, fresh, and authentic.
Following the direction of the timeline, visitors arrive at the experience area in the north zone. With sofas, a fireplace, lights, and audiovisual equipment arranged before them, the atmosphere feels effortlessly chill. In this private space, a tablet allows visitors to control the music and lighting — and in winter, to adjust the intensity of the flames. Above the fireplace, an opening echoes the one in the open gallery. Once again, "daylight" bridges the two spaces, carrying a quiet sense of time.
Leaving the experience area, visitors pass through the central hall one last time. Now the space is filled only with ordinary daylight. Most visitors might simply walk through and out. But for those who have chosen JUNG's customized services, a place for longer, unhurried conversations with staff awaits. Built for extended discussion, the meeting room offers custom furniture and display cabinets. Curtains and doors are woven into the control system, opening when the meeting ends — a quiet ritual, a soft final note that completes the architectural experience.
As a "small building" inside a large commercial complex, the showroom features an exposed concrete ceiling and sharply defined walls, both are carried out by technical breakthroughs. The materials and construction methods for the ceiling were developed specifically for this project. A high strength concrete mixed with glass fiber, originally intended for factory prefabrication, was adapted for on-site use and applied through an innovative spray method. While the original process was limited to at most 40 or 50 square meters, the showroom achieved 132 square meters using the adapted method. Details regarding equipment and conduits, including tracks on the ceiling, sprinklers, projectors, and speakers, have been considered and pre-installed as embedded components during the spray application process.
The complexity of the wall construction becomes clear when looking at a model in the open gallery. This structure, called HUB, consists of an aluminum alloy frame that holds all the necessary equipment, including suspended LED screens and embedded invisible speakers. The construction is then completed by casting concrete into a non-removable formwork. The wall stands completely free from the ceiling, with a two centimeter gap left between them to function as an air conditioning vent. Such is the details and crafts behind this small building.
Ideal spatial design is like a simple container that hides a complex system. It feels effortless and fluid, while all the complexity behind has been invisibly resolved. When pure space and concealed details are honed to their utmost so that people experiences the long, stable, and enduring presence of architecture. From entry to exit, the flow of time aligns with the perception of space, much like the window that opens onto the street in the Longshang Books Cafe project, forming a connection between environment and people.
Time experienced within space, sensation awakened through movement, connections between the showroom and visitors are built.
