Culture, craft and contemporary design across 600,000 sqft of landmark workplace at K11 ATELIER Ningbo.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo main lobby with vaulted lattice of arching white ribs, timber-lined walls, and ATELIER reception desk.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo forms the landmark commercial tower within Ningbo New World, a major mixed-use development bringing together workplace, retail, hospitality, residential and public space in the heart of the city.

Process

Pre-Concept

Concept Design

Schematic Design

Detail Design

Tender Documentation

Tender Management

Construction Support

Guideline Package

Post-Completion Review

Studio X was appointed to design the interiors and wayfinding for K11 ATELIER Ningbo, developing a cohesive design language across approximately 600,000 sqft (55,700 sqm) of public and common areas. The scope included the main entrance lobby, typical office floors, lift lobbies and cars, VIP areas, basement lobbies, washrooms, signage and wayfinding, together with an integrated F&B retail environment.

The design responds to K11 ATELIER’s approach to the workplace as more than a conventional commercial tower, combining culture, craftsmanship and contemporary workplace experience. This thinking informed the material palette, detailing and spatial character throughout the building, creating a consistent identity across a wide range of spaces while allowing each area to respond to its specific function.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo F&B precinct rendering with timber ceilings, Le Cafe Parisien and frozen dessert shopfronts.

Podium retail provides convenient F&B and amenity spaces for the building’s office community.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo escalator entrance with angular LED-lit portal, grey stone walls, and ATELIER signage.

A sculptural escalator portal creates a distinctive arrival from the basement into the office tower.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo B2 lift lobby with fluted panelled walls, bronze lift doors, and forest artwork feature wall.

A refined basement lobby creates a clear and considered arrival from the car park.

Materiality and detailing were developed to create a consistent architectural language across the tower, balancing refinement, warmth and K11 ATELIER’s emphasis on craft.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo lift car interior with fluted light-toned panels, faceted ceiling canopy, and illuminated handrails.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo office lobby with angled white fins over timber lattice walls and a marble concierge desk.

Selected views

A collection of images documenting the completed interiors, highlighting materiality, circulation and the consistent K11 ATELIER design language across the tower and podium.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo typical lift lobby with timber-panelled walls, radial ceiling panels, and bronze lift doors.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo VIP lift lobby lined in reclaimed timber with faceted dark ceiling and ATELIER K11 signage.

View down the K11 ATELIER Ningbo escalator flanked by fluted timber walls with framed K11 art posters.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo B2 carpark drop-off lobby with grey marble walls, brass ATELIER K11 signage, and bollards.

(Approach)A unified design approach brings K11 ATELIER’s principles of culture, craft and sustainability into every layer of the workplace experience.

Progress

A record of the project taking shape on site, documenting the coordination, detailing and construction of the interiors through to completion.

Completed frozen dessert kiosk at K11 ATELIER Ningbo with illuminated signage, timber panelling, and neon menu art.

Visual mock-up of the podium retail concept, developed to serve the tower’s office community.

Completed layered rattan ceiling feature at K11 ATELIER Ningbo food hall with wayfinding signage and shopfronts.

An intricate ceiling installation draws inspiration from Ningbo’s tradition of handcrafted umbrella making, translating local craft into a contemporary architectural feature.

Construction photo of the K11 ATELIER Ningbo escalator portal with feature lighting on and fitout works in progress.

On-site progress of a key escalator connection, showing the architectural detailing taking shape around this major circulation route.

Drawings & details

Selected drawings and technical studies developed to coordinate circulation, material transitions and architectural detailing across the tower.

General arrangement floor plan of K11 ATELIER Ningbo showing interior layout and circulation.

Podium plan showing the integration of retail, amenities and circulation serving the office community.

Design drawing of the K11 ATELIER Ningbo main lobby showing the arching rib structure and reception.

Elevation illustrating the sculptural geometric structure that defines the main lobby.

Design detail drawing of a K11 ATELIER Ningbo ceiling feature showing setout and construction detail.

Detail drawing of an individual component within the umbrella-inspired ceiling installation.

A landmark workplace shaped by local craft, contemporary design and a consistent architectural identity across every point of the user journey.

K11 ATELIER Ningbo lift car interior in dark timber with brass-edged panels, faceted ceiling, and woven textured floor.

Across approximately 600,000 sqft (55,700 sqm), the project establishes a coherent architectural language across a complex mix of workplace, circulation, amenity and public-facing spaces. Materials, detailing and wayfinding were developed as an integrated system, creating consistency while responding to the different functional demands of each part of the tower.

The completed interiors translate K11 ATELIER’s principles of culture, craft and sustainability into a contemporary workplace environment, combining a strong international identity with references to Ningbo’s local heritage. The result is a distinctive commercial destination designed around both the everyday experience of its office community and the wider character of the development.