March 26, 2018

Gaggenau announces the opening of a brand-new flagship showroom in Chengdu, Mainland China. Designed by architects Einszu33, the new space will be Gaggenau’s fourth showroom in Mainland China, exemplifying the brands commitment to expansion in the market. Gaggenau Chengdu boasts a brand exhibition and product display area, dining-in concept and a wine room. Sitting at just over 530 square meters, it is almost double the size of any other Gaggenau showroom in the world.

In keeping with a series of firsts for Gaggenau, the Chengdu showroom will also be the first brand experience space to implement a dining-in concept. One side of the showroom is dedicated to an area similar to a traditional restaurant, seating up to 36 guests, while located opposite is a professional chefs’ prep room and an intimate private dining area, enabling the chef to carry out focused demonstrations of culinary culture.

To facilitate the launch, German Michelin-starred chef and showroom design consultant Stefan Stiller will work alongside Yu Bo, a highly acclaimed local chef, to create a menu incorporating new ideas and presentations of modern Sichuan cuisine. The launch event draws inspiration from a coming together of German and Sichuanese cultures as articulated throughout the architectural composition of the new showroom.

Drawing inspiration from the same building typology historically found in ancient Chinese homes, Einszu33 included a contemporary take on a Siheyuan as part of the showroom layout: a courtyard surrounded by buildings on all four sides, known to symbolize wealth and prosperity. To further complement this tradition, Black Forest trees were included as part of the elegant courtyard construct, to pay homage to the brand’s German heritage dating back to 1683.

Further embracing Chinese architectural customs, bamboo was utilized as part of the ceiling design throughout the entire showroom. Bamboo was a carefully considered aspect of the overall interior due to its Chinese origin, prosperous growth and close affinity with the nation’s national treasure, the Panda Bear.

Included within the showroom’s layout is a lifestyle area, where the design concept and approach have been stripped back to reveal a pure, clean aesthetic, often reflected in the product design of Gaggenau appliances. This approach has been carried through to the wine room, which houses a selection of fine wine bottles, encased and beautifully displayed, in Gaggenau Vario wine climate cabinets.

Gaggenau entrusted this project to Munich-based architects Einszu33, under the direction of Hendrik Müller, who has designed more than 20 showrooms internationally for the brand. Sichuanese architectural and cultural values were seamlessly integrated with Gaggenau’s black forest heritage to create one of the brand’s most immersive showrooms to date.

“We wanted to build a brand experience space that was beyond anything we had ever attempted before,” said Sven Schnee, head of Global Brand Gaggenau. “Taking inspiration from an interweaving of Chinese and German cultures, we have created our most spacious, aesthetically advanced showroom to date. The Chengdu showroom beautifully illustrates our dedication to providing a truly immersive, cultural experience.”

The inclusion of the new dining-in concept will enable Gaggenau to showcase the brand’s affinity with authentic culinary culture by facilitating exclusive events, wine tastings, seminars and soirées.

“We are delighted with the announcement that Chengdu will be the first region to adopt the new dining-in concept, further strengthening our position as the largest single market for Gaggenau appliances globally,” said Roland Gerke, president and CEO of BSH Home Appliances China Co. Ltd. “The new Chengdu showroom completes the final stage of our strategic plan to further cement Gaggenau’s position in West China, alongside the brand’s existing efforts in the north (Beijing), south (Guangzhou) and east (Shanghai), which have seen great success. With this great network, we will be able to support and service our customers throughout the country, whilst setting a new precedence for showrooms across the world.”