Underground Glamour: Shenzhen’s Garage Reimagines Car Culture.

In Shenzhen‘s bustling commercial district, an unexpected cultural phenomenon has emerged beneath the Poly Theatre. Garage, a 6,900-square-meter themed complex designed by DDDD Creative Company, transforms a conventional basement car park into an immersive celebration of vintage and modified car culture.

The space reads like a Hollywood screenplay—one where underground car traders, street racers, and mysterious bosses converge in a retro-futuristic setting. Drawing inspiration from 1950s American gas stations and the gritty charm of Hong Kong garage culture, the design team, led by John Sun, has created distinct zones that progress from a stark black entrance driveway to a cement-and-steel commercial street, culminating in a gold-accented trading area.

At the entrance, a UFO-inspired illuminated fixture commands attention, incorporating existing structural columns through mirror play to create the illusion of a complete circle. At the underground café, customers can monitor their vehicle’s maintenance while sipping coffee in a space adorned with caramel wood tones and pink marble, complete with vinyl records and a cigar lounge.

A Ginza Concept Store Set Inside a Tokyo Carpark.

This concept store inside a Tokyo carpark features a cafe, retail space and gallery, with no clear boundaries between them.

The accessories shop features classic scissor-gate styling, while the car wash area channels Chicago architecture through black vintage tiles and curved iron-framed windows. The striking tuning room takes cues from “Back to the Future” with aircraft aluminium finishes and strategically placed mirrors creating a time-machine effect.

Materials range from industrial (aluminium oxide, galvanized steel) to luxurious (brass plate, orange marble), while cultural elements like vintage tiles and neon signage root the space in its automotive heritage. It’s a clever blend of old and new, creating what the designers call “very old new” and “very new old”—perfectly capturing Shenzhen’s youthful energy and ambition.

Beautiful Carpark. No, I'm Serious!

Carparks are not usually at the top of any architect's list of "things to design before they die", right? Well, I would like to challenge that idea.

[Images courtesy of DDDD Creative Company. Photography by Yuuuunstudio.]