OISHI

Category: Exhibition Design
Location: Xintiandi, Shanghai, China
Size: 100 sqm - S
Year: 2020

A temporary brand activation at Shanghai's Xintiandi Plaza, launching Oishi's new healthy snacks for busy urbanites. Designed as a modern "filling station" for quick refueling, it draws inspiration from vintage petrol stations and the infinity loop, symbolizing 24/7 urban life. The structure features a lozenge-shaped roof on illuminated product columns and a central snack bar. Its core element is a continuously moving, figure-eight wall: one side matte stainless steel (solid), the other mirrored (reflecting changing surroundings). This complex 25-motor-driven wall required precise engineering for smooth motion. The station is designed for disassembly and redeployment after its initial run.

Space of reflections with arched mirrored panels and green circular stands showing LED text screens

Conceptual illustration of green gas stations in the 70s and 80s.

Continuously moving walls shaped like an infinity loop

Oishi pop-up, emitting green light in the darkness, moving train-like walls, and mirrored surfaces reflecting surroundings

Space of reflections with arched mirrored panels and green circular display shelves showing LED text screens

Space illuminated in green light with round, columnar display shelves

Detailed illustrations of assembled parts documenting the work process

Customer flow diagram of Oishi pop-up space

Plan and elevation diagram of oishi pop-up space

Oishi are launching a new range of healthy snacks for time poor /nutrition wanting busy urbanites.

As part of their campaign, we have designed the Oishi station, located at Xintiandi Plaza, Shanghai. The Station is envisioned as a filling station a place to quickly recharge, refuel and keep on going.

To signify our busy 24/7 urban lives, we took the infinity loop as a point of design departure, the loop signifying continuity and that refueling could help one keep going.

Inspired by 70’s and 80’s filling stations our Oishi station finds form in a lozenge shaped plinth and roof held aloft with two columns - each column surrounded by illuminated shelving for their new products and scrolling brand messaging.

A central bar counter serves as storage for the new healthy snacks that will be given to the public each day, as well as product and campaign video display.

The infinite loop is represented by a continually moving wall, that traces a figure of eight loop around the station bisecting the centre. Each side of the moving wall is clad with stainless steel panels, one side matte brushed stainless steel that diffuses reflected light giving it a solid appearance, whilst the other is glad with mirror polished stainless steel that reflects the changing surroundings as the station stands from day to night colours, surroundings and light change and shift with resulting changes in the station’s appearance. It’s in constant change — like the city itself — always moving.

Although simple in appearance its design required development, from its structure that could be assembled on site in 2 days, and supporting wall tracks aligned to allow for smooth movement. Together with U-Trust event production we tested several methods to allow the wall to move, from friction wheel motors, chain led device, ultimately settling on 25 motors with large sprockets powering the wall along. Once the panels meet the intersection clever system of laser sensors and servo actuators rotate a central track to allow for a smooth transition across the central intersection.

Oishi Station will be dismantled for reuse in another location at the end of its present showing at Xintiandi Plaza, Huaihai Road.