BMW Group Designworks Shanghai studio expansion and office relocation.

Munich. 2018 sees an exciting milestone for Designworks, as the youngest of the three studios in Shanghai opens the doors to its new office in Sinar Mas Plaza. The state of the art facility will be home to a fast growing team of designers, strategists and researchers, providing a hub for creative stimulation, and enabling the team to draw and nurture inspiration on a daily basis. 

Located in the neighborhood of North Bund, the move comes as part of BMW Group’s continued investment in and focus on the Chinese market, following the opening of the new BMW China Research and Development center in Beijing, which took place in May.

“China remains a key market for the BMW Group and Designworks, and continues to grow in importance. The region provides a unique platform for design inspiration; from its rapid speed of change, advancements in technology and digitization, as well as its overarching spirit of optimism,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “By building first-hand experience and understanding of this marketplace, it allows us to create strong and highly relevant solutions for our Chinese customers, as well as giving us the opportunity to infuse this knowledge back into our teams and projects across the world.”

Under the leadership of Annette Baumeister, Studio Director of Designworks Shanghai since 2016, the studio has experienced significant growth across a variety of industries, including consumer electronics, home appliances, aviation, rail and premium automotive. With a multicultural team, an organic work organization and a multi-disciplinary capability, the Shanghai Studio has become a strategic partner for its clients by jointly tailoring design projects and foreseeing the future opportunities of the market. “Inspired by Asia, design for the World”.

The most recent project delivered by Designworks Shanghai highlights the team’s ability to combine physical and digital design to produce a truly integrated, user centric solution. Yuneec, a global Chinese electrical aircraft manufacturer, approached Designworks with the challenge to create the future of drone flight.

Using in-depth design research on the user experience, helped informed the new drone design. How design is manifested and expressed through form, material, texture, colors, and user interaction, utility and style - are all shaped by a deep consideration of what the future can be.

In addition to the drone itself, the team developed the user experience and interaction concept for the drone’s controlling app. This includes a user interface that enables training, flight path planning, and control of the drone via a smart watch or phone. Alongside Shanghai, Designworks has studios in Munich and Los Angeles, where its headquarters is based.

With a growing client base outside of the automotive industry, Designworks holds a premium position within the marketplace, taking innovative and visionary design learnings from its ongoing close relationship with its parent company BMW Group, and utilizes this to add value and insights to its clients across other industries. With experience in future mobility, connected products and smart living products, the global design consultancy remains a leading voice in innovation and visionary design.