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Bengaluru-based DS2 Architecture has designed the Lexus Showroom, which is a design and cultural confluence of Karnataka and Japan. The facade is inspired by the iconic grill designs of the Lexus cars that resemble a spindle and strives to root Lexus to India to familiarise the brand with the new customer. The façade continues inside as an L-shaped trellis and becomes the main interior feature, thus concealing services and freeing the display area volume.

The space is divided into five zones in terms of usage and contextual hierarchy – customer zone, display zone, experience zone, wash area, and the mezzanine floor. The Sangam Jali partition segregates the display area and the customer zone, creating an intimate sitting space for customer discussions. The patterns on the partition are inspired by the Indian greeting ‘namaste’ and the Japanese greeting ‘omotenashi’.

The L-palette unit facility uses the spindle identity and terminates as the Lexus logo orienting itself towards the entrance and thereby becoming a facility desk. The baffled ceiling is inspired by car headlights, and the backlight plexiglass is derived from the provincial-age jaali pattern referencing the Vijayanagara Dynasty. Spindle-shaped lighting is inspired by new-generation cars.

A hand-carved stone mural replicates the iconic stone chariot from Hampi, a UNESCO world heritage site in Karnataka. The inspiration behind the mural is to bring out an interesting visual contrast between a 14th-century BC vehicle and a hybrid modern vehicle. The mural adds visual contrast, history, and geographical context to the space.