Conceived by Italian designer Luca Nichetto, this pavilion for Tales in Beijing has a facade covered in 1,200 pieces of brass tubes. Shaped like blades of grass, the tubes oxidise and change colour naturally with the passing of the seasons, thus merging the building with the natural landscape of Lido Garden.

Inside, the pavilion is divided into a series of showrooms, each distinguished by different materials and colours.

The reception and business area in the heart of the pavilion is clad in elm wood recycled from old houses from Hebei Province.

White plaster and concrete floors provide a suitably plain canvas to display products from world-renowned brands such as Foscarini, Diesel with Foscarini, Ibride, Petite Friture, Diamantini & Domeniconi and Seletti, with each brand given a unique space to tell their design story.

Lighting is also used to theatrical effect, with the lights in the staircase connecting the first two floors intentionally dimmed to arouse of sense of mystery and curiosity amongst visitors.

The exhibition display units in the pavilion were exclusively designed for the Tales Pavilion with adaptability and flexibility in mind. Resembling a Chinese tangram puzzle, triangle displays of different heights can be combined and arranged in multiple formats, allowing exhibitors to ‘bend the room’ to their wishes.

The railings are decorated with latticework that reference the plan of the building, and the same pattern is repeated on windows, rugs, and even the air-conditioning grids.

Luca Nichetto
lucanichetto.com