Guazi - Eight Inc.

Guazi.
China’s fastest-moving startups.

Guazi, a subsidiary of Chehaoduo Group, is one of China’s fastest-moving startups. Founded in 2015, it has grown quickly to become one of the biggest online customer-to-customer used car dealers in the country. All thanks to a model that challenges customers’ expectations of long, arduous and hazard-strewn transactions—by promising guaranteed sales and transparency, set against a tone of adventure.

Guazi’s ambitions didn’t end there. A presence in the physical world would let it do more for its customers—and engage entirely new ones. We designed the template-busting store experience that Guazi would roll out across China. We also created the new Beijing HQ for Chehaoduo Group—the stage from which Guazi is set to make bigger and bigger splashes as this exciting journey unfolds.

A Modular Space Fit for Rapid Rollout

Second-hand, first-class

A second-hand vehicle dealership means a second-class experience, right? Wrong. Guazi was ready to challenge this assumption.

In bringing together environments, branding and uniforms, we created a transparent, seamless experience with a distinctive tone—one that sets Guazi apart from the pack.
Flexible and scalable, it gives Guazi a way to engage new customers and offer valuable add-on services. For sellers and buyers alike, the second-hand vehicle transaction stands transformed.
Guazi’s big ambitions, meant it needed a low-cost format it could implement in 60 stores in year one alone. Our answer was a neutral, garage-like space—a canvas for modular plug and play components—that keeps the spotlight on the vehicles.

From vehicle evaluation to a 360-degree photo-lab, services are delivered in the open, offering the transparency sellers crave. And for buyers? Guazi is now a one-stop shop for services that range from financing and registration to maintenance and cleaning.
Outside, a gradient louver facade creates a simple, distinctive first impression, while offering passersby a glimpse within. Inside, large graphics—the backdrop to the vehicles—evoke the adventure of the road. For customers new and old, it’s an ever-present reminder of ‘Where Guazi can take you’.

A Modular Space Fit for Rapid Rollout - Eight Inc.

A Modular Space Fit for Rapid Rollout - Eight Inc.

A Modular Space Fit for Rapid Rollout - Eight Inc.

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A Modular Space Fit for Rapid Rollout - Eight Inc.

A HQ for a Startup that is Going Places

A launchpad for ambitious ideas.

A fast-moving startup needs a fun, energizing space to match its ambitions. A space that can aid different modes of work, balanced with a healthy dose of downtime. A space that can excite visitors and employees alike.

Guazi wanted a headquarters with integrated showrooms, to build their presence in Beijing. The balanced environment we designed brings together architecture, interiors, and landscaping to keep a growing team on the front foot. And it lets Guazi show, influential visitors, the exciting places it can take them.

Located at innovation hub 898 Innospace, the first impression is a distinct branded reference to Guazi’s showrooms—a recognizable green undulating roof that invites visitors in.

Interiors reflect Guazi’s personality: honest and technical through raw materials, but softened through greenery and abundant natural light. A range of flexible spaces and furniture gives employees options to focus and create on their terms—from individual to collaborative, from private to open. And through a series of bridges, teams can stay connected.

Wellness and recreational zones meanwhile emphasize downtime, providing the balance that keeps productivity sustainable.

Guazi’s light and energizing headquarters is somewhere its people can’t help but grow. With exhibition and event spaces to showcase its ideas, its also somewhere investors and officials can’t help but be impressed.

A HQ for a Startup that is Going Places - Eight Inc.

A HQ for a Startup that is Going Places - Eight Inc.

A HQ for a Startup that is Going Places - Eight Inc.

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A HQ for a Startup that is Going Places - Eight Inc.

Credits

Photography by Wei Xuliang 魏徐亮 and Zhang Boran

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