TANBOER, a homegrown brand from Qingzhou, China, has firmly established itself as a leading down clothing brand for the frigid northern winters. Over the past 25 years, TANBOER has undergone significant growth, evolving beyond a singular functional focus to align closely with contemporary trends. This evolution has empowered the creation of youthful, diverse, and iconic outdoor functional down apparel. Throughout different periods, TANBOER has consistently embraced its ethos, pursuing the dual ideals of simplicity and technology while promoting a lifestyle that values nature, health, and fashion.
TANBOER, a homegrown brand from Qingzhou, China has launched its sixth-generation outdoor experience concept store within its Smart Technology Park. Designed by STILL YOUNG, the store is infused with the rich cultural essence of the ancient city and a Zen ambiance, offering a nature-inspired experience that invites consumers to engage with the city’s culture, refreshing the brand’s identity.
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- Photo credit: yuuuunstudio
TANBOER Smart Technology Park is nestled at the foot of Yunmen Mountain. TANBOER’s new concept store occupies a corner of the ground floor of a standalone building within a park, surrounded by serene mountain scenery and vibrant trees.
STILL YOUNG refreshed the store facade, which articulates a harmonious fusion of the brand’s visual symbols and the motif of Qingzhou’s ancient city walls, elevating the building’s visual identity. This fosters a subtle transition between architecture and nature, serving as both a visual connection and a cultural narrative.
A semi-transparent glass facade, adorned with the brand logo echoes the art installation on the ground. An arched corridor resembles a resting spot encountered during outdoor adventures, relieving travelers’ fatigue while allowing gentle, warm sunlight to subtly filter through the interior.
Entering the store, visitors are greeted by a local context-inspired scene of red rock mountains, which grow amidst chilling glacier crevices. This design not only captures the natural texture of Qingzhou’s mountains but also narrates the brand’s journey over the years.
The red rock mountains and glaciers serve as visual focal points, offering a contrast of warmth and coldness while symbolising the coexistence of industry and nature. Contrasting textures shape clean lines and volumes. Within the softly illuminated atmosphere, these immersive scenes provide a moment of tranquility for every outdoor enthusiast.
The overall layout categorises the brand’s offerings—sports, children’s, business, and outdoor product series—into distinct areas, each featuring tailored display systems and installations.
Inspired by the local Buddhist culture, the sports series area emphasises an atmosphere of stone rhythm and Zen. Red rocks evoke rugged, rolling mountains, while the wall-mounted display fixture’s wood grain echoes Buddhist hand gestures, creating a serene yet solemn ambience.
Children’s interests often embody a charming simplicity, reminiscent of nature’s unrefined beauty. The children’s area resembles an urban oasis, where liveliness and warmth flow through the playful environment. Nature-inspired elements, such as soft cloud-shaped lights, wildflowers sprouting from rocky ground, wooden clothing racks, and luminous brand logo crafted from colourful natural yarn and down filling, enrich the space.
Beneath the preserved exposed ceiling structure lies an iconic art installation that resonates with the city’s memory. Erecting at the center of the business series area, the industrial metal tree evokes a millennia-old locust tree in the ancient city of Qingzhou, symbolising the connection between the brand’s technology and local culture.
Compared to the strolling experience in the front area, the after-sales service zone, VIP lounge, and fitting rooms in the back emphasise consumer needs, community engagement, and exclusive experiences.
Additionally, unique display fixtures customised for the brand are embedded within the walls, highlighting TANBOER’s high-loft, high-fill down products, as well as the brand’s commitment to sustainability and the ethos of “being friends with nature”.
A dedicated repair counter offers specialised maintenance services, from simple stitching to complex down filling, ensuring a smooth, comprehensive, and attentive after-sales experience. Coupled with the fitting rooms, this space breathes sustainable life into each user’s apparel. Display racks draw inspiration from needles, threads, and production techniques used in down clothing production, incorporating wood grain and metal materials.
The VIP lounge encapsulates the essence of grotto imagery, with layers of light and shadow cascading over the winding wood grain, reminiscent of varied depths of mountain gorges. This design amplifies the spatial depth while reducing distractions, allowing visitors to focus on the tranquility of the moment. Semi-enclosed booths enhance social intimacy, and the interplay between artificial skylight and wood grain creates a natural ambiance filled with aspiration and vitality.
From architectural impression to spatial experience, this store instantly transports visitors back to the familiar Buddhist scenes of ancient Qingzhou. With deep insights into the strong connection between a retail environment’s commercial value with the city’s unique character and historical culture, STILL YOUNG seamlessly integrated the brand’s innovative strength into locally inspired, creative scenes within the store.
