Keep reading
Download Full PDF
1976 - 2021
Outerspace
Home Ground
Connection

Tencent Innovation Centres

Chinese technology giant, Tencent, knows that innovation and digitzation will drive the future and wants to allow customers to experience it for themselves. That's why they turned to Kingsmen to design innovation centres that showcase the breakthrough products that illuminates the growing possibilites being developed.

Outerspace

Tencent's innovation centres are a reflection of its commitment to using technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Functioning as both a innovation and experience center, the centres' unique spaces and diverse content revolve around its cutting-edge R&D.
Conceptualised to draw guests into its macrocosmic world, Tencent pushes new frontiers on technological innovation and discovery. In particular, Tencent’s Innovation and Entrepreneur Exhibition Centre in the city of Qingdao was envisioned as a space that marries culture, community and industry, fusing the brand’s core into a unique, liveable environment.
From the moment visitors enter the space, they experience a floor modelled after the surface of the moon. However, as the realistic depiction of lunar craters pose a safety hazard, we filled them with transparent resin to keep the floor surface level. Overhead, the projection of planets as well as glittery stars complete the immersive experience.
To amplify the cosmic depth of discovery, the two-storey centre at Binhai holds an oversized audio visual room. With a nine-metre height ceiling, Kingsmen emulated the night sky using optical fibre lighting.

Each fibre was delicately installed such that the entire ceiling realistically replicated a firmament of mesmerising stars. This effect was matched by the grandiosity of tall projection screens crafted in an angular form and positioned to make an arc with the main screen.

This was how the hall was transformed into a theatre of complete audio-visual immersion. As the environment fully dazzles visitors, they become excited by what Tencent promises to provide in the near future.

Realism and Artistry

The visitor experience at Qingdao is one that would blend the best of the physical and digital worlds. By enabling guests to experience the Tencent brand through riveting visuals and feature zones, we highlighted the company’s advanced developments in digital intelligence in a very experiential way. As a tribute to the city of Qingdao, the sprawling beauty that is Shandong's natural environment is projected on digital screens.
Besides the extensive use of digital technology such as image projections, holographic imaging and cloud data, Tencent was looking to create moments within its experience centres to enable visitors to discover and be fully immersed in its technological aspirations.

The 'Area of Digital China' - a table model made of stereo crystals - was built using lightboxes made to appear like the city skyline. Using advanced display system, the interface connects three-dimensional fabrications with customised graphics that creates a gateway between realism and artistry.

Speed

A model of Tencent’s data room offers further insights to the efficiency and performance in the data processing world, vividly exploring how data drives our age of information using deliberate lighting and lines, and even holographic imaging technology.  

Connection

Tencent’s involvement in the gaming industry is also exemplified by its innovation centres through game zones that challenge speed and wit. On the second floor of its Binhai gallery, we worked closely with Tencent to seamlessly integrate social platforms such as Wechat with popular games such as ‘Honor of Kings’ and ‘Ready Player One’ into a VR technology that showcases the future of digitalisation.
To bring the gaming landscape to life, we created a full-sized replica of a motor car as seen in one of Tencent’s video games, ‘QQ Speed’. Creating an accurate replica required real design expertise to achieve the right look for each car part in stunning detail.
Creating a 360-degree rotation on the racing simulator required continuous research and testing to optimise how the car replica syncs perfectly with the game. We were ultimately able to achieve the perfect combination of best-in-class visuals, gameplay and simulation.