- Project: VARIO Shanghai Flagship Store
- Architect: Yuan Shi Design
- Location: China, Shanghai
- Year: 2024
- Area: 1700 m2
- Photography: Yuan Shi Design
A New Chapter of Haipai Modernism
In the heart of Shanghai, the VARIO Shanghai Flagship Store by Yuan Shi Design embodies the city’s spirit of fusion — where Eastern heritage meets Western modernity. Spanning 1,700 square meters, this flagship showroom transcends the notion of a traditional retail space. It becomes a cultural experience, a reimagining of Haipai elegance for the 21st century.
Chief Designer Yuan Junlong leads a multidisciplinary team that combines art, architecture, and interior design to express Shanghai’s dual identity: cosmopolitan yet deeply rooted in Chinese tradition. The result is a poetic space where craftsmanship, light, and emotion converge.
Reimagining Haipai Elegance for a Modern Era
Haipai culture — Shanghai’s century-old blend of East and West — forms the philosophical foundation of the design. The showroom’s spatial narrative embraces Neo-Orientalism, not as imitation, but as reinterpretation. The interiors evoke the grandeur of Shanghai’s golden age, expressed through soft curves, muted palettes, and sculptural art forms.
Ancient lacquering techniques meet modern finishes, while light filters through curved ceilings and textured glass, creating a sense of calm immersion. The space simultaneously honors tradition and pushes design forward — an architectural dialogue between nostalgia and innovation.
Sculptural Art and the Poetry of Light
At the heart of the showroom stands Lines, a luminous installation by artist Zhang Liping, who uses light as his medium. Suspended in mid-air, the irregular floating lines animate the surrounding architecture, transforming the space into a living artwork.
Zhuguang Lighting designed the lighting system to highlight every texture and curvature. Linear light strips trace the contours of the ceiling and furniture, emphasizing the sculptural rhythm of the interior. This interplay of light and shadow produces a constantly evolving visual experience — an essential part of the showroom’s narrative of discovery.
Designing for the Future: Imagination and Reflection
The spatial composition of the showroom invites visitors to imagine their ideal living environments. Rounded corners and flowing forms evoke psychological comfort, while modular zones integrate living, dining, and study areas to demonstrate functional adaptability for future lifestyles.
High-quality materials — solid wood, marble, leather, and soft textiles — were selected for their tactile warmth and visual refinement. The design team, including Fang Jian, Xue Chao, and Yao Feng, crafted every surface to engage the senses. The result is an interior that feels both luxurious and grounded, balancing opulence with restraint.
Modern Living with Cultural Nuance
A Western-style kitchen anchors one of the central areas, featuring a custom island that subtly incorporates VARIO’s initial “V.” This detail reinforces brand identity while maintaining aesthetic coherence. The adjoining wine cellar — softly illuminated and finished in textured stone — exudes understated luxury.
Arched corridors and contemplative nooks reinterpret Chinese spatial philosophy through a modern lens. Each space is both functional and emotional, encouraging exploration and reflection. The combination of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary furniture from Italian brands like VALENTINI, Airnova, and GERVASONI creates a sophisticated international dialogue.
The Flow of Space: A Hidden Sanctuary
One of the flagship’s most distinctive features is its long, layered corridor, inspired by classical Chinese garden pathways. Acting as both a connector and a moment of pause, it links key spaces — the study, bedroom, and lounge — while revealing curated perspectives along the way.
The corridor’s rhythm of compression and expansion mirrors the poetic cadence of traditional architecture, guiding visitors through a sequence of discovery. Natural stone, soft fabrics, and translucent partitions generate a balanced interplay between solidity and lightness, forming an urban sanctuary that embodies both movement and stillness.
A Celebration of Craft, Culture, and Contemporary Design
More than a retail environment, the VARIO Shanghai Flagship Store is an immersive cultural installation. It expresses how contemporary Chinese design can embrace global aesthetics without losing authenticity. Through material tactility, lighting choreography, and spatial storytelling, the project transforms commercial space into an artistic journey.
As a collaboration between Yuan Shi Design and renowned partners such as Zhuguang Lighting and Hezi Design, the showroom exemplifies a new model of design synergy — where architecture becomes experience, and experience becomes culture.
Conclusion
The VARIO Shanghai Flagship Store is not merely a showroom; it is a celebration of Shanghai’s evolving identity — refined, cosmopolitan, and deeply human.
By blending Haipai elegance with minimalist modernism, Yuan Shi Design has created a space that transcends time and geography, offering visitors a vision of modern living rooted in cultural memory and artistic innovation.
The VARIO Shanghai Flagship Store is more than just a showroom—it’s a journey through light, culture, and modern design. Blending Haipai elegance with contemporary luxury, it invites visitors to experience the fusion of tradition and innovation, creating a space where both art and everyday life are celebrated.
