THE PRODUCT:
TYPE: ceiling mounted
INDUSTRY: automotive
APPLICATION: aesthetic treatment
GRAPHICS: illuminated white
SIZES: various sizes, shapes & forms manufactured to specification on order
LOCATION: nationwide
ARCHITECT: RCG
INSTALLATION: PCI Projects
OVERVIEW:
With the launch of DENZA into an increasingly competitive automotive landscape, the brief extended well beyond vehicle display. The ambition was to create a showroom environment that signals intent — a space that positions the brand through experience, precision, and controlled visual impact from the moment a customer enters.
Central to this strategy was the use of suspended, illuminated ceiling forms to define and elevate the hero vehicles within the showroom. Developed in collaboration with RCG, each ceiling element was carefully proportioned and positioned to align with vehicle placement, sightlines, and circulation paths. Lighting temperature, intensity, and distribution were resolved early to ensure consistency with the broader architectural lighting strategy.
To deliver this, a bespoke ceiling system was engineered using the CLIPSO Grand Format Stretched Fabric System, fully integrated into the building’s lighting infrastructure via DALI control. This allowed for precise tuning of light levels and colour temperature, enabling the environment to adapt to different times of day, vehicle finishes, and campaign requirements.
At the core of the system is the CLIPSO membrane — providing a continuous, seam-free surface that diffuses light evenly across each plane. This removes hotspots and shadowing, allowing vehicles to be presented under controlled, uniform illumination. The result is a refined visual field where light reads as an architectural material rather than a discrete fitting, enhancing both form and finish.
Within automotive retail, illuminated ceilings have long served a functional purpose — increasing light levels across highly reflective surfaces to accentuate paint quality and detail. However, their role has evolved. In contemporary showroom design, these systems also act as spatial markers — defining zones, guiding movement, and reinforcing brand hierarchy within large-format environments.
As competition intensifies across the sector, the showroom has become a critical touchpoint in shaping brand perception. It is no longer sufficient for the product alone to carry the experience. Spatial design, lighting control, and material execution now play a direct role in influencing customer engagement and purchasing behaviour.
From a delivery perspective, the system was resolved as a coordinated kit of parts. Each component was engineered for accuracy, repeatability, and efficient on-site integration — enabling installation within a live construction programme without compromising the design intent. Maintenance access and long-term serviceability were embedded into the solution from the outset, ensuring the system performs beyond initial handover.
The completed installation demonstrates how illuminated ceiling systems can move beyond static lighting solutions — becoming integrated architectural elements that support both the functional requirements of vehicle presentation and the broader experiential narrative of the brand.
OneFrame is a New Zealand based speciality manufacturer delivering sustainable solutions both locally and across international waters. Our team has a dedicated focus on influencing and educating architects, specifiers, designers and those that share our passion for a more sustainable tomorrow through innovative delivery.
We are constantly being challenged by our clients and driven to transform their bold ideas into amazing realities. Innovation is our passion, it's part of our DNA and we are constantly striving to positively influence the industry by what we deliver to market.
