Zanadu is a Chinese e-commerce company that works in the luxury holiday sector. To help its clients understand what it offers, it has commissioned a centre from Shishang Architecture where it presents hotels and holiday package destinations in virtual reality.
The luxury holiday sector is still in its infancy in China and among its pioneers there is Zanadu, an e-commerce company that has been active in the sector for four years. Many clients don’t know what to really expect from the packages on offer, so various ways of presentation have been tested, includingvirtual reality. This was so successful that it convinced Zanadu to commission the Chinese architecture studio Shishang to design a permanent centre in which to present holiday packages in virtual reality.
The result is almost magical. 600 square metres of "the travel agency of the future" with fluorescent colours and iridescent illuminations in a large space with pale shades, touch screens and projectors that show the Zanadu brand video on a 20 metre screen. Five large stylised hot-air balloons dominate the centre of the space, inviting visitors to sit down and take off for a virtual reality tour.
Each monththe Zanadu Travel Experience hosts over 10000 visitors, 75% of whom take part in the virtual tours and join the Customer Relationship Management programme.
Francesco Cibati
Location: Shanghai Village, China
Year: 2016
Area: 600 m2
Design: Shishang Architecture – www.shishangjianzhu.com
Architects: Chen Xuan, Zhang Tuo and Wang Zhijia
Photos: Sui Sicong
