Zomuzi converts former autoshop into Gantri showroom in San Francisco
New York studio Zomuzi has transformed a former auto body shop into a new showroom for lighting brand Gantri in San Francisco, merging the building’s 1930s industrial origins with the layered cultural history of the SoMa neighbourhood.
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Located in San Francisco’s SoMa district, The Shop is Gantri’s first brick-and-mortar gallery and retail space, showcasing its range of 3D-printed lighting products in an environment designed for browsing, consultation and customisation.
The 1,600-square-foot (148-square-metre) interior extends into the shell of the former garage, retaining a strong connection to its automotive past while reinterpreting it as a contemporary retail landscape.
The space is saturated in what the studio describes as “Gantri green”, a unifying tonal device that carries across multiple surfaces, materials and built elements. A central consultation table anchors the floorplan, with display cases lined in light plywood wrapping the perimeter to present products. Towards the rear, a relaxed seating area supports longer client interactions and design discussions.
Material experimentation plays a key role in the project. A long muslin curtain in the signature green runs along one side of the space, while a “woven” screen composed of 3D-printed tiles demonstrates the brand’s digital fabrication capabilities. The same colour extends to the garage door, a ceiling panel and a textured rug, creating a fully immersive spatial identity.
Founder of Zomuzi, Mzwakhe ‘Muzi’ Ndlovu, said the design draws heavily on SoMa’s architectural and cultural context, referencing Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences alongside the area’s eclectic LGBTQ+ history. He also looked to nearby cultural venues such as The Castro Theatre and The Oasis, as well as the broader character of San Francisco’s queer spaces, as part of the conceptual framework.
Ndlovu noted that the surrounding auto body shops were equally influential, with site visits revealing functional motifs that informed the design language. Elements such as jacks, raised platforms, castors, steel pegboards and flexible work surfaces were reinterpreted into the showroom. He described the space as operating much like a workshop, where products can be configured and adapted in real time.
Gantri, founded by Ian Yang, is based in the Bay Area and operates a digitally driven manufacturing system powered by robotics and thousands of 3D printers. The Shop marks the brand’s tenth anniversary and reflects its ongoing ambition to create more accessible production methods for designers and lighting brands.
Through its layered references and immersive spatial identity, the project positions retail as both showroom and workshop, connecting industrial heritage with contemporary design innovation.
Images by Krescent Carasso via Dezeen
New York studio Zomuzi has transformed a former auto body shop into a new showroom for lighting brand ...