Comprehensive design of the FANUC showroom and exhibition space in Wrocław

FANUC Showroom | The opening of FANUC Polska’s new headquarters in Wrocław marks the next stage in the Japanese industrial automation leader’s expansion into the European market. The showroom’s exhibition space has become the facility’s flagship feature, designed as a place where customers and users can experience cutting-edge robotics technology firsthand. FANUC Poland invited the architectural and interior design firm ANNA THUROW to collaborate on this part of the project.

The central motif of the architects’ design is a 40-meter-tall image of Mount Fuji—one of the most important symbols of the FANUC brand, reflecting its Japanese origins. The monumental, illuminated installation designed by the studio and located in the front window is clearly visible from the outside—both to visitors and to people passing by the building—serving as a distinct identifying feature of the new headquarters. For the architects, this motif became a key narrative element of the project, foreshadowing the character of the showroom’s exhibition area from the very first encounter with the building.

The symbolism of Mount Fuji has a deeper significance in this project. At its foot, in the Lake Yamanaka area, lies the town of FANUC, which houses factories, research and development centers, and residential facilities for employees. It is also the sole production site for all of the brand’s equipment. The architects treated the context of this location as a starting point for a multifaceted interpretation of the Mount Fuji motif—in graphic, spatial, and functional terms alike.

A geometric interpretation of Mount Fuji served as the basis for the design of the entire showroom exhibition. This concept guided the layout of the demonstration stations, the three-dimensional enclosures for the robot work zones, and the arrangement of technical elements such as HMI panels. The meandering visitor route proposed by the studio references the rigorous yet organic forms of mountain gullies, guiding visitors through the successive elements of the exhibition. This motif also appears in the entrance area, reinforcing the narrative coherence of the entire concept.

One of the key principles of the design was the multi-layered nature of the exhibition. The main indoor exhibition, situated along the glass facade, serves as a backdrop for the “outdoor” exhibition, which is visible primarily to people passing by the building—even after dark.

In terms of materials and colors, the architects proposed a fresh take on FANUC’s signature color palette. The brand’s colors appear here on materials and in forms not previously used in the company’s other projects. In reference to the Mount Fuji motif, elements with a distinctive texture were used—mesh, perforated metal sheets, and three-dimensionally shaped panels. Lighting also plays a significant role in shaping the space: the designed linear lighting arrangements contour the form of the partitions and emphasize the geometry of the display.

Designing for the automation and robotics industry presented specific challenges. The FANUC showroom is not a traditional exhibition space, but rather a working environment for machines that must meet rigorous technical and safety requirements. From the outset, the concept developed by the studio was closely coordinated with the needs of engineers and system integrators, so that the architecture could serve as a clear, safe, and flexible framework for the technology on display.

The new FANUC showroom in Wrocław demonstrates how interior design can facilitate the communication of advanced industrial processes, translating them into a clear spatial experience. It is a space where design and engineering converge, building a cohesive brand identity and making innovation tangible.

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