Drawing inspiration from the surrounding urban condition, the Camper Showroom / Office in Shanghai recalls both the spatial qualities and the vibrant activities characteristic of life in a typical Shanghai alleyway, called a “nong-tang.”

The exterior lane extends into the showroom creating a physical sectional cut of the new house and a gathering space used for presentations and talks. A mirrored surface at the end of the lane visually lengthens the sectional cut. Neri&Hu inserted their interpretation of a brick and reclaimed wood clad two-story house into the shell of an existing warehouse, resulting in a layering of spaces from exterior to interior to the in-between, which showcases a unique hanging shoe display.

The house is constructed out of timber framing using locally sourced reused wood and grey bricks as infill material. The wood salvaged from demolished lane houses reveal years of patina from paint, newspaper and wallpaper still attached to the planks.

A new skylight addition above heightens the experience of being in an exterior alley by casting long linear shadows across the walls throughout the day. Several furniture pieces were custom designed for the project; the bronze perforated shelving, the neri&hu Solo Chair with special edition red legs, and a ‘Lazy Susan’ table for the Press Room.

Architects: Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
Architect In Charge: Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu
Associates: Alex Mok, Peter Eland
Designers: Lina Hsieh, Jacqueline Min, Ni Duan
Senior Associate – Graphics: Christine Neri
Senior Project Manager: Siwei Ren
Graphic Designer: Hao Zhou
Senior Associate – Product Designer: Brian Lo
Senior Product Designer: Jean-Philippe Bonzon
Photographs: Dirk Weiblen

http://www.archdaily.com/440826/camper-showroom-neri-and-hu-design-and-research-office/