YUTONG HEADQUARTER

Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co., Ltd. is one of the largest bus manufacturers in the world, with its new headquarters located in Zhengzhou Economic Development Zone. The new campus consists of three buildings, including a 12-story research and development building and a 15-story sales building, totaling 60,000 square meters. The project was designed by DU Studio and took four years to complete, starting in 2017. DU Studio transformed Yutong's traditional manufacturing headquarters into a modern, international open office space, achieving a significant leap forward. This was a semi-renovation project, with the site already in place, but with great potential for improvement in terms of materials and space. Our challenge was to maximize functionality while balancing cost and aesthetics, while highlighting Yutong's corporate characteristics. Yutong Bus has had its unique core values of morality, collaboration, and innovation since its inception. DU Studio believes that space reflects a company's spirit, and we designed an office space that suits their organizational structure, work habits, and future 5-10 year development plans based on their corporate culture, embodying Yutong's rigorous, scientific, and innovative characteristics.

The two buildings have very different atmospheres. The research and development building is cold and industrial, featuring a lot of glass, black, blue, and gray stone materials. In contrast, the sales building is warmer, with light colors, beige, wood, and other materials. In terms of design language, the elements of Yutong Bus are integrated to reflect its uniqueness. Turbines, bearing linkages, circular tires, and other elements have become the language of interior design, applied in various areas.

The sales building lobby had many existing pillars, which presented a challenge for the project. The front desk design was inspired by the rotation of car tires, utilizing the existing pillars to create a circular reception desk with a suspended structure integrating a circular display screen. A 3-story high plant wall, approximately 15 meters tall, was designed in the central area where the original structural pillars were concentrated. The interior of the wall was equipped with a climbing ladder for maintenance, and the 3-story high section could be slid for inspection.

In the sales reception hall, the existing glass skylights on both sides were separated by glass partitions and stone materials, resulting in significant echo. To improve the acoustics, the first step was to add black perforated sound-absorbing boards on both walls, and suspended perforated panel light fixtures resembling bus tires were installed to provide lighting while also absorbing sound. The design of the resting flower bed was inspired by the common rotation of gears and belts.

In the financial hall, the central area utilized the height of two floors to create a rest area enclosed by a giant lightbox, bringing the space down to a human scale and increasing its warmth. At the same time, low tables were designed as dividers and storage spaces based on Yutong Bus's streamlined vehicle models.

The 2nd floor coffee shop in the sales building was inspired by gear-shaped fans, and the wood partition was gradually angled on the walls and pillars. The wooden gear-shaped louvers, with varying densities and movements, were arranged in an interesting and flexible manner. 

The 15th floor Wave Cafe is mainly used to receive overseas clients. The carpets, with different shades of blue, resemble the tides of the sea, while the floating ceiling represents drifting clouds.

In the VIP atrium, to minimize the impact on the existing structure, an additional layer of enclosure was added outside the original structure, raising the height by three levels to achieve a unified visual effect. Perforated panels were installed behind the enclosure to help with sound insulation. The introduction of landscape trees brings nature into the interior, bringing a sense of tranquility and warmth to the atrium.

In the R&D building, the original lobby had a relatively shallow depth. To extend the side view, we opened up the solid wall on one side and added a lobby cafe. At the same time, the 2nd floor was enclosed with clear glass partitions and the ceiling was extended to the central core, increasing the depth of the lobby. Moving the door frame outward expanded the lobby space, enhancing both functionality and spatial perception.

In the entrance area of the standard floor, the original entrance wall was opened up to bring in natural light, and a resting and display area was set up to serve the employees on this floor. The texture of tire tread was used as the background of the perforated panel for displaying company culture and enhancing employees' sense of belonging.

On the standard floor, the original ceiling was retained and the white ceiling was painted blue and gray to echo the carpet texture, creating a dynamic sense of order.

Based on highlighting the cultural and product features of Yutong, the entire design fully utilizes the site conditions to create a healthy and pleasant working environment. Meanwhile, the design fully embodies DU Studio's 3H design principles: healthy, human, and happy. The new design enhances the corporate image, improves work efficiency, and provides excellent spatial conditions for Yutong's further international development.