CAR SHOWROOMSTHREE CAR SHOWROOMS GRANT AN INSIGHT:TAMSEN AUTOHAUS, TOYOTA-AUTOWELT,MERCEDES-WELT AM SALZUFERTransparency and openness are qualities which are demanded today when buildingcar showrooms. However, this not only applies to the presentation are<strong>as</strong> but inincre<strong>as</strong>ing me<strong>as</strong>ure also to the service facilities and workshops. Are<strong>as</strong> that upuntil now were mostly kept concealed, are now made intentionally accessible tocustomers allowing them to share in all the activities that go into making a car.You could compare purch<strong>as</strong>ing a car to visiting arestaurant: anyone having once taken a look in thekitchen area and discovering less than appetizingconditions, will not be wanting to return in a hurry! Thisprinciple can be applied equally well to a car showroom:it’s not just the highly polished end product that interestsa discerning client. Whether a luxury car or an economycl<strong>as</strong>svehicle is involved, one thing is certain; anyonedeciding to purch<strong>as</strong>e a car, does not invest such <strong>as</strong>ubstantial sum of money lightly. Even if the actualproduction takes place at some other location, it’s stillof great significance to a customer to know what goeson behind the scenes at a car showroom where repairs,inspections and other services are performed. Theconditions and degree of accessibility which a future carowner finds here, play a key role in whether he believeshis car to be in good hands.Designing the service are<strong>as</strong>A crucial factor in constructing a car showroom in thisrespect is the positioning of the service are<strong>as</strong> <strong>as</strong> well<strong>as</strong> their architectural design. It is worth noting that in alarge number of projects the workshops can be foundimmediately in the prestigious entrance area so that thecustomer feels involved in the activities right from theword go. Good examples of this kind of development areprovided by three recently completed projects, whosefunction lies mainly in the presentation andrepresentation of cars.Tamsen Autohaus in HamburgIn September 2003 a new showroom of the Tamsen luxuryautomobile house from Bremen w<strong>as</strong> opened in Hamburg.To be found here in one of the world’s most exclusiveautomobile houses and in 4000 sq. metres of space is acollection of traditional brands such <strong>as</strong> Aston Martin,Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, M<strong>as</strong>erati and Lamborghini.The actual building is clear, discreet and reserved in orderto present the products in an optimum environment.According to the architect, Kay Klaening, the opticalboundary between the outside and the inside h<strong>as</strong> moreor less been done away with. The sales are<strong>as</strong> <strong>as</strong> well<strong>as</strong> the offices, the workshops and the staff rooms allappear to be flooded with light. This is achieved by givingthe building a facade made almost entirely of gl<strong>as</strong>s,incorporating partly opaque and partly transparent panes.Just <strong>as</strong> the architecture of the car showroom seemsunpretentious in relation to the objects on sale, so too isthe material chosen by the architect. In the car showroommaterials such <strong>as</strong> gl<strong>as</strong>s, aluminium, stainless steel, steel,leather and wood were used and characterize the overallappearance of the building. Likewise, the shape of thebuilding on the outside reflects what is happening on theinside. In this way the adventure worlds of the variousautomobile brands are reflected in the cubes, varying insize and height, of the overall structure, thereby forminga clearly discernible linear building.The car showroom is approached from two sides: anentrance in the north-e<strong>as</strong>t and another on the oppositeside where the customer car park is located. Alsopositioned on this side is the section of the buildinghousing the workshops and car w<strong>as</strong>h,8
By using numerous glazed industrial sectional <strong>doors</strong>, in the luxury Tamsencar showroom in Hamburg even the workshops are bright and flooded withlight.9
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