Munich/Beijing. MINI presents the latest MINI LIVING
Urban Cabin at the interdisciplinary architecture exhibition China
House Vision in Beijing from 21 September to 4 November 2018. The
micro-apartment concept was developed in cooperation with local
architect Dayong Sun.
The Urban Cabin in Beijing is now the fourth interpretation of the
concept developed by MINI LIVING last year. The Urban Cabin provides
temporary living space with a high degree of flexibility and lots of
possibilities – on a surface area of just 15 m2.
One
particular design focus is the local identity and culture of the
specific location in each case. After stops in London, New York City
and Los Angeles, the latest source of inspiration is Beijing.
The central theme of the project is to explore how space can be used
in an innovative way to create a new sense of community and maximum
quality of living on a minimum surface area. In order to achieve this,
the MINI LIVING Urban Cabin Beijing re-interprets traditional forms of
urban living in China, thereby stimulating dialogue with community
life in the city.
MINI Living started in 2016 and is dedicated to developing novel
residential concepts for urban conurbations worldwide. Developments in
big cities such as space shortage and price increases are taken into
account, as well as the desire for flexibility, local identity and
communal interaction. In order to address these diverse aspects, the
project takes the “creative use of space” principle as
developed for the classic Mini in the field of automotive design and
applies it to the residential context.
MINI Living Urban Cabin Beijing: visionary format with
historical roots.
Every MINI Living Urban Cabin consists of three formal elements. The
living and sleeping sections on one side of the micro-apartment and
the kitchen and bathroom on the other side are designed by the MINI
Living Design Team. The third section is defined by MINI as an
experiential space with the character of an installation: for each
cabin, a local architects’ bureau is invited to fill out this space.
The theme selected always has to be relevant to the specific
location. In Beijing this experiential space was developed in
collaboration with local architect Dayong Sun. He has created an open
area of encounter as a homage to the courtyards of the traditional
hutongs. Golden, telescope-like mirrors are mounted above
this interactive space, reflecting the immediate environment but also
the broader urban context. A swing at the centre of the space provides
a playful shift in the viewer’s perspective. The storage and seating
facilities positioned around the Urban Cabin are designed in
geometrical shapes reminiscent of traditional Chinese tangram puzzles,
also acting as an attractive feature for contemplation.
Dayong Sun’s design is inspired by the hutongs common in
Beijing’s more traditional districts. A hallmark feature of the city’s
architectural history, these residences are made up of courtyard
buildings and passageways that are particularly appreciated for the
combination of private withdrawal spaces and communal living areas
which they offer. This model is now gradually disappearing from the
urban landscape as a result of demographic change. The MINI LIVING
Urban Cabin in Beijing echoes the underlying principle of
hutong while at the same time translating it to the modern age.
Global network of creative residential solutions.
MINI Living is focused on forward-looking stimuli for a style of
residential architecture that focuses on human beings and their need
for individuality, flexibility and community. “Each MINI Living
Urban Cabin creates maximum quality of living within a very limited
space in a specific situational context”, explains Oke Hauser,
Creative Lead MINI Living. “The result is a global network of
creative residential solutions in which people all over the world feel
at home, while at the same time providing a public space for
innovative forms of co-living”.
With their individual basic format and elaboration, the various
interpretations of the MINI Living Urban Cabin concept demonstrate the
creative possibilities offered by micro-apartments. This has made them
the forerunner to the first co-living project in China, which is to be
opened in Shanghai in 2019. Here MINI is collaborating with Chinese
project developer NOVA Property Investment Co. to convert an unused
industrial complex in the Jing’An district into a multi-dimensional
facility consisting of apartments and work spaces as well as cultural
and leisure facilities. In addition to the creative use of space, the
concept offers residents maximum flexibility with residential units of
varying sizes and a vibrant urban neighbourhood. This creative
combination of personal privacy and opportunities for communal
interaction is supplemented with an extensive range of digitally
bookable services, thereby establishing a whole new level of living
quality in the urban setting of a modern city.
In case of queries, please contact:
Matthias Bode, Press Officer Product Communication
MINI
Telephone: +49-89-382-61742, Fax:
+49-89-382-28567
E-mail: matthias.bode@mini.com
Andreas Lampka, Head of Communication MINI
Telephone: +49-
89-382-23662, Fax: +49 89-382-28567
E-mail: andreas.lampka@mini.com
Markus Sagemann, Head of Communication MINI, BMW
Motorrad
Tel.: +49 89-382- 68796, Fax: +49
89-382-28567
E-mail: markus.sagemann@bmw.de
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries.
In 2017, the BMW Group sold over 2,463,500 passenger vehicles and
more than 164,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the
financial year 2017 was € 10,655 billion on revenues amounting to €
98,678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a workforce
of 129,932 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview
Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com