Subway China Brand Feature First Store

On September 25, 2024, Subway unveiled its first flagship store in Southwest China at Chengdu Yanlord Landmark, marking a pivotal milestone in the brand’s revitalization strategy. More than just a new location after over two decades in the Chinese market, this flagship store represents a dynamic evolution from a fast-food chain to a lifestyle-oriented destination.
The design concept centers on the metaphor of a suitcase, infusing the space with an ethos of slow, laid-back living. The exterior captivates with silver wave panels accented by LED lighting, anchored by a giant handbag-shaped sandwich sculpture and avocado-green pulsing lights.
Each entrance features a large, fully backlit luminous panel, glowing with clean, welcoming light and inviting city dwellers to escape the daily grind. Inside, a palette of avocado green and metallic copper, paired with sandwich-suitcase soft furnishings, materializes the brand’s DNA into a tangible, relaxed atmosphere.
Lighting design serves as the project’s defining feature. Utilizing 3000K warm light, the design layers accent, indirect, and decorative lighting to create a sophisticated visual hierarchy. Accent lights highlight food textures, while cove lighting defines the spatial contours. The central zone features geometric forms embedded with soft LED strips for ambient illumination, and precision-calculated surface-mounted spotlights achieve a minimalist effect with concealed fixtures. From the overarching ambiance to the precise positioning of every beam, the lighting sets a new industry benchmark for retail and dining spaces.
This is more than a dining venue—it is a “relaxation space” crafted for the busy urban dweller. By seamlessly integrating design and light, the flagship store transforms the brand’s philosophy into an immersive experience, injecting fresh energy into the Southwest market.