Munich : BMW Welt, Germany

[LindbergMTL]

BMW Welt by Coop Himmelb(l)au wins best of Production at WAFl Awards 2008

 

 

BMW Welt, literally “the World of BMW”, is a hybrid exhibition and automobile delivery centre designed by Austrian practice Coop Himmelb(l)au. The multi-functional centre is divided in 5 key areas: Premiere, at the center of BMW Welt, where the vehicles are handed over to customers on rotating platforms, from where they can drive out of the building via a generously sized ramp; Lounge, integrated into the roof and virtually suspended over the delivery area, supported only by the utility service shafts and a column; Forum, located in the north wing of the building, a state of the art Auditorium for up to 1200 people; Tower, in the southwest, a multifunctional area with restaurants, exhibition, sales floors and administrative offices; Double Cone, resting on eleven columns, a full-service event realm extending over several levels, including a stage with its own catering infrastructure, rotating platforms and infrastructure connections for events.

 

 

 

Wolf D. Prix, co-founder and design principal of Coop Himmelb(l)au described the project: "The concept behind the design envisions a hybrid building representing a mixture of urban elements. Not an exhibition hall, not an information and communication centre, not a museum, but instead all of these things, along a passage organized under one roof and horizontally and vertically layered. A conjoining of urban marketplace and stage for presentations”.

 

 

The WAF judges chose it as the winner amongst 12 shortlisted entries in the Produciton category and defined the scheme as “deeply indebted to Le Corbusier´s enquiring mind and dedication to experimental culture” adding that “Wolf D. Prix pursues new meanings and forms in architecture.”

 

 

Incidentally BMW Welt represents the zenith of Wolf D. Prix’s fascination with turning clouds into architecture, as his words testify: "From the very start we’ve wanted to build cloud architectures and cities that change like banks of clouds.”

 

 

 

The centre was also one of the 10 RIBA European Awards winners in 2008.

 

 

Laura Sal

 

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10552

 

[cjb]

eyh Lindberg, all these projects are really cool and interesting, but why don't you create a single thread to post them all ?

[LindbergMTL]

Why would I?

[acpnc]

Voilà une autre réalisation qui fait envie, c'est le genre de projet que j'aimerais bien voir à Montréal, quelque chose qui non seulement répond à un besoin mais qui accroche en même temps l'oeil en suscitant l'admiration.

 

Munich a plusieurs constructions dignes d'intérêt et cette sculpture architecturale, est un fleuron de plus à son actif. On sent bien dans cette ville le désir de se démarquer, capitale de la Bavière et ville principale qui jouit d'un statut particulier dans la fédération allemande.

 

C'est un peu la situation de Montréal qui gagnerait certainement à s'inspirer de cette ville dynamique en affirmant sa différence par des réalisations qui la mettraient nettement en valeur.

[Malek]

ouch je vais rester bandé pour le restant de la journée hjehehee

[Ornello Mastrocola]

Wow! How gorgeous is that? This is something we'll never see here in Montreal. Too avant garde for this city. Pity.

[Malek]

ornello: money is the answer.