Volvo at Taikoo Hui Guangzhou — GQ Lab Pretty Good Exhibition Guangzhou (2019)

Guangzhou's Taikoo Hui M-level atrium hosted GQ Lab's 'Pretty Good' exhibition, including a Volvo XC40 theatre and de-stress zones, from 19 to 21 July 2019.

The venue

Taikoo Hui is a shopping mall in Guangzhou, and its M-level atrium is an indoor common area within the retail floors. The space sits on the mall's circulation route, linking shop frontage and through-paths rather than forming a separate gallery. It is normally used for shopper movement, seating and temporary displays, with overhead lighting that supports day-long programming independent of weather.

How the space was used

For the three-day presentation, the atrium was divided into thematic zones: a Guangzhou city-personality installation, a pressure-release room, a good-luck koi interaction and a Volvo mini-theatre for the XC40. Visitors moved between these set pieces in sequence, with the car display placed as one stop along the route rather than a separate showroom. Open floor edges let passers-by enter from several sides.

Why it works here

The M-level atrium at Taikoo Hui sits within a shopping mall and connects retail frontage with through-routes, which suits a walk-through brand exhibition. It can hold built set pieces without closing surrounding retail, and its central position lets casual visitors encounter the content between errands.