Reaching the Summit

QINGZHOU, A SMALL CITY in China’s northeastern Shandong province, is the home of Tanboer, a homegrown brand specializing in down clothing and outerwear, perfect for the cold winters in this part of the world.

And in its backyard is where Tanboer has recently launched a “sixth generation” outdoor experience concept store, following a design created by Shanghai-based consultancy Still Young.

Tanboer’s concept store in Qingzhou, China, was designed to showcase the brand’s craftmanship, and its cultural heritage in the region.

Qingzhou is labeled an “ancient city” within China, and the starting point for this store has therefore been to try and translate some of this heritage into a new store. Practically, according to Still Young, this means an exterior and interior that offers shoppers a “nature-inspired experience,” reflecting the city’s culture, according to Eric Ch, CEO at Still Young.

As far as the store design is concerned, Ch says that the two-month design process, followed by a six-month build, has been about fashioning an interior that focuses on “brand spirit and meticulous craftsmanship in down product manufacturing, while showcasing the brand’s cultural origins.”

This means a store located in a corner of a building within the Tanboer Smart Technology Park. Still Young refreshed the exterior with a translucent glass façade, with the brand logo as part of this and an arched corridor intended to remind the visitor of a resting spot encountered during outdoor adventures.

Within, the first element encountered is a red rock mountainous landscape, complete with glacier crevices, constructed from frosted resin glass and metallic plates. This rugged introduction yields an interior in which sports, children’s, business, and outdoor products are all on display in an environment of a variety of settings. These range from hanging “ice” mingled with cold lighting – an ideal visual setting for the brand’s outdoor offerings – to a metallic tree for the more formal merchandise.

LEFT: Metallic fixturing contrasts with the store’s mountainous elements, inspired by its proximity to China’s Yunmen Mountain.

In total, this is a complex interplay of contrasting visual elements, all of which work together in a manner that might not be expected. Its design is also sustainable, thanks to a modular design approach, which will allow for future brand expansion in this location and elsewhere.

PHOTO GALLERY (29 IMAGES)
PHOTOS: yuuuunstudio, Shanghai