Set in a stunning, 6500sqm building in the Pudong district of Shanghai, Cadillac House is a multi-sensory experience centre that seeks to raise the luxury American automotive brand’s profile in the Chinese market. A cross between a museum, art gallery, cafe, and car showroom, it’s a place where visitors can learn about Cadillac’s century-long heritage and the technologies that are driving it into the future. The building was designed by global architecture firm Gensler and features s
s sharp angles covered in 7000 stainless tiles, giving it a futuristic, spaceship-like quality. At night, LED lights beneath the tiles make the whole structure glow. Stepping inside, the ground floor features a car showroom, cafe, and company store, as well as a 360-degree theatre showing short films. This is meant to convey Cadillac’s present.
A timber-and-concrete spiral staircase leads to the second floor, where tactile and digital design elements, including a music library, materials tunnel, and souvenir customisation opportunity suggest the role that technology will play in the brand’s future.
Visitors arrive at the third floor fully immersed in the culture of Cadillac, and are greeted with a celebration of the brand’s past. This level houses a spacious art gallery, VIP lounge, boardroom, and reception area for special events. Customers can watch their new cars being driven onto a platform in the middle of a reflecting pool below and celebrated with an illuminated water show.
Cadillac House has won multiple awards since it opened in 2019, including that year’s prestigious American Institute of Architects Shanghai Design Excellence Award in the category of Interior Architecture. It was also named Retail Design Institute’s Store of the Year in 2019.
