iSi Automotive Changshu
iSi Automotive was founded in 1995 with a focus on the specific requirements of the automotive industry, whose primary focus is on innovative approaches to vehicle safety. iSi expertise in airbag systems with their Cool Inflator® technology. In 2017, iSi Automotive officially entered China and established its branch in Changshu, Jiangsu Province.
Because of its extensive experience in building and designing industrial facilities and office buildings, VIRTUARCH was put in charge by iSi for their new facilities in Changshu. VIRTUARCH successfully delivered architecture design, interior design and construction management consulting services, as well as the overall project management.
Office building from the street corner
A Clear Functional Separation
The iSi Changshu project is a Greenfield Industrial Project which foresees implementation in two phases. The first phase has already been completed and started its successful operation. It includes an office building, production and warehouse buildings, an R&D building, guardhouses, bike shelters and parking lots.
The independent office building integrates multiple functional areas like regional headquarter, offices, conference facilities, meeting rooms, a lounge and showroom, as well as a canteen.
Office building seen from the main entrance
Landmark Office Building
Located at the entrance, and well visible from the street corner, the office building is the landmark of iSi. The dark gray façade forms an elegant frame meandering around the generous band of windows. The cement fiberboards and aluminum sheets on the office building façade and the gray panels of the plants are perceived as a unit, at the same time visually underpinning the company’s innovative claim.
In front of the office building and well visible from the main entrance, VIRTUARCH placed a central green area with a pond, creating a relaxing environment for the employees.
Central green area and office building
Modern and Humanistic Office Space
iSi, as well as VIRTUARCH, has always been following the path of innovation, high-quality and thinking out of the box. As a holistic concept, iSi’s Changshu facility offers good spaces for blue collar employees, white collar employees and visitors – all should have positive experiences while using the buildings.
Visitor’s Lounge
On the first floor (ground floor) of the iSi office building, VIRTUARCH has arranged the lobby with reception desk, a showroom, a visitor’s lounge and, on the back side and giving access to a garden area, a canteen flooded with light, where employees can enjoy the outside view while having lunch.
All meeting and conference rooms are located on the second floor of the office building, in a generous and functional conference center. Acoustic panels on the ceiling, writeable wall surface, and multimedia conference terminals enable each conference room to achieve an excellent audio-visual effect. Users can separate the large meeting room into two medium-sized ones by closing the moveable partition wall, increasing flexibility of the users.
The third and forth floors are the open office areas with a comfortable working environment for employees. Natural light along with linear lights and downlights illuminate the office. VIRTUARCH uses a combination of direct and indirect light, bright colors and healthy material to create an authentic working space to promote the well-being of the employees and guests.
The main staircase is illuminated by a skylight , and VIRTUARCH uses hanging lamps to connect all floors in a smart way, making the entire office building an organic unity.
Functional Arrangement
VIRTUARCH developed the masterplan for the factory in close coordination with the Owner, putting functionality and user efficiency first.
Drone view
VIRTUARCH designed clear internal traffic routes to improve the transportation efficiency. While the main entrance for staff and visitors is located on the North side, the truck entrance is located on the West side, close to where the receiving and shipping are. Loading docks and covered delivery areas are designed for maximum efficiency of logistics just next to the central warehouse.
Production facilities are arranged strictly following the user requirements, reducing the transportation and walkways within the factory. The production areas are fully air-conditioned.
Production building
The R&D building is located on the East side of the plot, offering good workplaces in offices and labs. The R&D building is directly linked to the testing facilities, where iSi will test its new products in cars.
Testing booths in R&D Building
Cars waiting for testing in the R&D building
PROJECT NAME: iSi AUTOMOTIVE, CHANGSHU
CLIENT: iSi AUTOMOTIVE (CHANGSHU) Co, Ltd.
LOCATION: CHANGSHU, JIANGSU PROVINCE, P.R.CHINA
INDUSTRY SECTOR: AUTOMOTIVE
TYPOLOGY: GREENFIELD
PROJECT SIZE: 10,855 sqm (PHASE 1)
PROJECT DATE: 2017-2019
SERVICES: ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, INTERIOR DESIGN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT
