Building Our First RETRO THINC Pop-Up in Shanghai

An installation made from scaffolding, glass, and light.

In 2022, RETRO THINC presented its first pop-up installation in Shanghai.

The space was located inside XIANSUO, a former industrial factory complex that had been transformed into a creative district. Rather than covering the building's industrial character, we chose to work with it.

The installation began with a simple idea:

Use the fewest materials possible and allow the lamps themselves to define the space.

Instead of custom-built displays, we constructed the entire installation using standard scaffolding components and glass panels. Materials commonly found on construction sites became the framework for a temporary exhibition.

The structure provided both transparency and flexibility. Glass surfaces reflected light and movement, while the exposed scaffolding echoed the industrial history of the building around it.

The exhibition featured the Sublime series, including three different sizes: one table lamp and two floor lamps. By presenting the collection together, visitors could experience how the same design language translated across different scales and spatial settings.

Different lamp heights were arranged throughout the installation, creating a changing rhythm across the space. The table lamp and floor lamps occupied different levels, allowing visitors to experience the objects from multiple perspectives as they moved through the room.

At night, the installation transformed.

Colored liquids, flowing forms, reflections, and shadows became part of the architecture itself. The display structure quietly disappeared, leaving attention on the movement of light.

Looking back, the project reflected many of the ideas that continue to shape RETRO THINC today.

A preference for reduction over decoration.

An interest in industrial materials.

And a belief that sometimes the simplest structures create the most memorable experiences.

The materials were ordinary.

The light was not.