Cosmic Symbiosis：Mercedes-Benz EQ UABB Car Stand Design

The 9th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB), themed "Urban Cosmologies," explores new prospects for future cities through multi-dimensional cross-disciplinary dialogues that transcend linear methodologies and thinking. The main venue of this UABB features five main sections—"How to Coexist," "A Walk among Spirits," "Cosmic Dialogues," "Future Settlement," and "Collective Action"—along with special sections. The exhibition examines the sustainable development of contemporary cities from cognitive, methodological, and action-oriented perspectives, exploring pathways toward harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The Mercedes EQS model is featured in a public art project presented collaboratively by this UABB and Mercedes-Benz. Committed to pioneering the future of mobility, Mercedes-Benz consistently emphasizes the integration of innovation and sustainability throughout its process—from product development to production. The EQS integrates highly efficient all-electric drive technology, innovative manufacturing techniques, and sustainable raw materials, representing a revolutionary upgrade in design, electrification, and technology. Mercedes-Benz's exploration of a sustainable mobility future offers multiple narrative possibilities for the UABB's discourse on urban sustainability. PILLS was invited by Mercedes-Benz to design the car stand for the EQS at the 2022 UABB. Drawing from Mercedes-Benz's vision, the design integrates concepts of sustainability and technology, providing a sustainable mobility perspective to articulate this UABB's theme of "Cosmic Symbiosis." The car stand serves as an interface for dialogue between Mercedes-Benz and the UABB on future prospects, showcasing the EQS's breakthrough in technological boundaries and its commercial foresight. - Cosmologies and Sharing Within the "Cosmic City" section of the "Cosmic Dialogues" cluster at this UABB, architects present multi-dimensional, complex sensory experiences through nine distinct cosmologies: space, plants, sound, air, energy, waste, soil, water, and household appliances. Extending the concept of "Cosmic City," the stand employs juxtaposition to create encounters between these cosmologies across time and space, forming a multi-dimensional space rich with future imagination, guiding audiences to reconsider the city's future from a cognitive perspective. - Reinvention and Rebirth The stand's primary material consists of recycled sponge reclaimed from industrial waste, regenerated through the process of recovery and remolding. This eco-friendly regeneration of sponge interprets the sustainable urban vision of this UABB, while also embodying the green, low-carbon philosophy of the EQS "EQ Power" series. The stand becomes a spatial extension of sustainable concepts, demonstrating multiple possibilities for a sustainable future. - Symbiosis and Interaction White acrylic light strips on the stand's exterior pulse with the rhythm of breathing, imbuing the Mercedes EQS with vitality. The circular light strips, embodying futuristic technological aesthetics, echo the avant-garde silhouette of the Mercedes EQS, unleashing the model's dynamism while enhancing the spatial appeal of the car stand. Through the interplay of light, the car stand envelops both human and vehicle within a shared atmosphere, creating a symbiotic space where the exhibition area transforms into a dynamic perceptual field. - Conclusion By incorporating the concept of "Cosmic City," along with sustainable materials and luminous strips, the car stand responds to this UABB's theme of "Cosmic Symbiosis" and sustainable development. It also gives spatial form to Mercedes-Benz's vision of sustainability and technology, co-creating with the UABB a symbiotic field that looks toward the future.

Project Information Project Type: Installation and Automobile Car Stand Design Location: Kingpi Factory (formerly Kingway Brewery), Yuehai City, Shenzhen Client: Mercedes-Benz Principal Designer: Zigeng Wang Design Team: Yuxin Tian, Mingyuan Chen, Manying Wang Construction Contractor: Shenzhen B.R.I.C Design Co., Ltd. Lighting Consultant: Shenzhen Acoustic & Lighting Technology Co., Ltd.