High Speeds, Open Roads / Porsche China in Shanghai, Designed by anySCALE

Porsche China headquarters in Shanghai. Designed by anySCALE. Photography: Xia Zhi

Porsche wants to go fast, and China is the place to do it. Founded 89 years ago in Stuttgart, Germany, Porsche entered the Chinese market in 2001, growing its number of Porsche China sales sites, vehicle deliveries, and employees (now numbering 400+) to match a rising interest from Chinese customers.

Porsche China has been in the fast lane for the last 18 years, but its headquarters in Shanghai were in need of a boost. It tasked local interior design firm anySCALE with creating a progressive, open office – a big departure from its traditional former offices.

Auto details, strong white-black contrasts, and bonsai trees

anySCALE was founded in 2011 by partners Karin, Tom and Andreas, and has grown from a staff of four to more than 40 in 2020, across three locations in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. We sat down with Simon Berg, director of anySCALE Shanghai, to get the scoop on a German auto manufacturer’s Shanghai identity.

Big branding

Porsche China’s new office, located in Lu Jia Zui Financial Plaza, is covering uncharted territory for the brand – becoming the first-ever Porsche property worldwide to achieve the WELL Building Standard gold certification.

Glossy whites translate to clean speeds

“It’s one of the largest WELL gold certified office on the Shanghai market,” said Mr. Berg. “It has plenty of collaborative and break-out areas with a ratio of almost 1:2. This is a very luxury yet progressive approach in the Shanghai scene, where the price per sq M is high.”

Graphics story

“At anySCALE most of our leading staff are trained as architects,” continued Berg. “When we design, we focus on the space and the spatial experience rather than just design in a sense of decoration. We design a lot for corporate clients with a strong focus on automotive. To materialize and incorporate the brand and its values in their own space is always our goal. One should feel that you are in a Porsche office when entering the space. The long, horizontal lines, the high contrast stand for the speed and passion, two core values of the Porsche Brand. On the other hand, the work areas are colorful and playful and focus on the more lifestyle aspect of the brand. Colors are borrowed from the Porsche 911 history.”

Greenery splashed throughout café-inspired gathering areas

Across 42,650 square feet, themes of speed and passion travel quickly through the new Porsche work environment.

“We wanted to include the Porsche brand in the office design without being just decorative. The reception floor is the main brand space that gives visitors a strong corporate impression.”

Intriguing angles

Porsche leadership wanted to give their employees a digitally intelligent working environment – a place where company culture and change and innovation can flourish.

“Long, horizontal lines with strong black and white contrast guide people through the space and support the allocation of the reception, waiting lounge and displays areas,” notes the project description. “The staircase, as a major vertical connector, links the large public areas and fosters communication among the employees. The space embraces the broad brand heritage of Porsche. A 1:1 scale model of the 919 hybrid racing car is displayed alongside a trophy wall, an engine block and a model car timeline. Large bonsai trees visualize the aspiration of luxury and give a hint of the importance of China to the brand today.”

Long horizontal lines communicate speed.

“The new office is designed with a philosophy known as S.P.A.C.E, which stands for Smart, Passionate, Attractive, Collaborative and Engaging. It combines new technology and digital upgrades with tailored services for a holistic long-term outlook aimed at realizing the full potential and creativity of Porsche China’s workforce.”

In lieu of private offices, the progressive open plan design favors task-related spaces like focus rooms and quiet rooms.

Modern, simple, playful meeting places

“Porsche wanted to get rid of their traditional office and work pattern that visualize hierarchies among staff,” said Berg. “All staff members now sit in the open space office, and all desks are arranged along the window. Only the VP’s have an enclosed office which are placed in the second row among the meeting facilities. The space should be designed in a way that it fosters low hierarchy, communication, collaboration, interaction.”

Low hierarchy, high-speed indeed!

Open meeting space