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CAR SHOWROOMSIn contrast to the closed facade of the service building, the showroombuilding of the Mercedes-Welt is transparent with a well-lit interior thatstands out at night.Prestigiously located – directly next to the main entrance – the carworkshops look inviting thanks to their industrial sectional doors withlarge areas of glazing.Already the brand name, the “Mercedes-Welt amSalzufer“, gives away the fact that the functionality ofthe newly constructed building is not likely to restrictitself to the status of an ordinary sales outlet. Here a sitewas created on which the entire Mercedes-Benz rangeof vehicles could be experienced in its full diversity. Thenewly constructed building is divided into two structureswhich are separate from each other both visually andfunctionally, a showroom building and a service buildingwhich are placed at a right angle to each other and thusform an entrance area with customer car parks.The main entrance is located at the interface of the twobuildings. The transparent showroom building is slightlycurved in shape to follow the course of the adjoiningLandwehr Canal. The construction is closed off by a glassfacade that spans the full height of 22 metres.The showroom is designed in such a way that the sevenmain levels (offset against each other) are located onthe narrow sides of the building and are connected toeach other via flat inclined showroom ramps along thenorthern and southern facade. Sited between the ramps isa building-high atrium which is flooded with light througha barrel-shaped glazed roof.The basic idea of the Stuttgart architects, Lamm-Weber-Donath, was to design the showroom building as a kindof small real-life town. On the ground floor the visitor isreceived at an information counter with adjoining bistro,behind which there is an area for sales and taking deliveryof the new car as a kind of “market place” beneath acanopy of trees.Besides serving as an exhibition space for vehicles– including a revolving presentation stage – the groundlevel is also used for leisure and entertainment purposes:areas for plants and water landscapes have been createdfeaturing a15-metre high water curtain, not to mention climbing wallsand a 40 sq. metre sized LED wall.Located on the very top floor is a conference area andalong the northern facade a two-hip office appendage foradministrative purposes.In contrast to the extrovert showroom building, theservice building has reinforced concrete walls clad withcorrugated sheet and featuring variously sized visionpanels.Customers are allowed “to take a look at the cards”Only the workshop area on the ground floor, situateddirectly next to the customer car parks and the mainentrance, is on full view thanks to large-format doors. Inthis way the company signals its willingness to show itshand, thereby demonstrating an increased interest in therequirements and wishes of its customers.16