MERCEDES-BENZ FACILITIES RENOVATION AND SHOWROOM

This project represents the most challenging undertaking in my professional career to date. Mercedes-Benz were seeking to radically overhaul their existing buildings, with a view to combining technology, a contemporary look and warm, welcoming spaces – without forgetting the importance of five-star client care and staying true to the brand’s leitmotif: “The best or nothing”.

The project design took place at a time when Mercedes-Benz had still yet to establish a new set of standards for its dealership, which meant that I had to design 100% of both the interior and exterior space: a total of 4,000 m². The starting point was the development of the estate, a 3,000 m² area which included redesigning the external access points, the vehicle flows, parking areas, lighting, etc. Then came a radical overhaul of the layout of the interior space – measuring in at 1,000 m² – and including the creation of new flows, furniture design, material selection, lighting design, etc.

The main and most sizeable challenge in this project involved achieving spaces that were bright, attractive, functional and modern-looking – all within the same installation. At the heart was the project an original building which was previously divided into four parts that were joined but not interconnected, all of which were constructed at different moments in time using differing building techniques and materials. It was therefore necessary to tear down most of the building’s façade and carry out a full clear-out of the building’s interior – creating large open showroom spaces and generated independent pathways and flows, depending on whether they were being used by clients, internal staff or external suppliers.

The result of these changes was a bright, open-plan showroom area measuring in at 65m in length and 850m², where clients are able to enjoy first-hand the entire range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in a clear, open and direct way. The project demanded the facilities be compatible with a new model for selling to the public, a model that would break away from the traditional norms of vehicle sales.  

With that in mind, a back-office space was designed for the sales staff to carry out their day-to-day work, yet made independent from the showroom floor. This helps make the exhibit space open, transparent and quiet – to which is added a series of 100%-digital customer-service stands, where potential customers can configure their vehicles via iPads and Large Format Displays (LFDs), all of which breaks away from the traditionally-held image of a Mercedes-Benz dealership. The materials used play a very important role in this project and the way they are combined gives off an image that is both welcoming and modern at the same time, with the goal of creating pleasant feelings for the customers. Artificial retro-lighting indirectly illuminates the space, thus making the brand’s product shine even brighter.