Daimler Headquarters Stuttgart : Information + Images

Daimler Headquarters, Stuttgart, Germany 2009- Architect: 3XN Competition Entry 3XN has based its project design for the new Daimler Group corporate headquarters on one of the essential aspects of a modern industrial enterprise: It must be state of the art and innovative both technically and environmentally and must therefore offer physical surroundings which encourage the necessary sharing of knowledge – and synergy – and which themselves help to enhance the environment. If – in a single word – you were to describe the Mecedes Benz name and the Daimler Group, that word would be quality – not just as a superficial impression but down to every last, minute detail. And the Daimler Group’s corporate workplace environment – with its carefully planned flow, numerous visual connections, possibilities for overlapping functions and project groups, and a high degree of flexibility in both an immediate and a long term context – emanates quality and a sustainability built into the very design of the building. The overall design of the building obviously has connotations to the automobile world. Our main architectural approach has been to translate the concept of roads and speed into the shape of a wheel or the circle around the Mercedes star. A loop connects to Mercedesstrasse and makes the world of the automobile – the road – an integral part of the architectural expression of the building. Mercedesstrasse is the main access road through the Daimler Group’s factory site, and because of the loop a visitor approaching the building – whether from the north or the south – will experience how the road sweeps and becomes an integral part of the building design. Inside, the cars – the Group’s products – are showcased in the reception and events area at ground level. The compact building volume makes efficient use of the ground plan area, and the reduced facade area makes the building energy efficient. All workstations and areas where people congregate benefit from natural daylight, and employees will be able to adjust the intensity of incoming daylight and ventilation at each individual workstation. Natural light comes especially via the atrium which spans the full height of the building and functions as its internal communication hub. Communication within the building is either via the lift shafts in the centre of the atrium or the wide, easy rising staircases that facilitate movement between decks. Open plan offices follow the facade all the way round the building while shared facilities are located adjacent to the atrium to encourage interaction and knowledge sharing. The transition from open to secluded, communication to quiet concentration, movement to calm is gradual. The floor area increases as you gradually move up through the storeys – making the floors well suited for large open plan offices. The considerable height between decks means that workstations up to 7.5 metres from the facade still benefit from natural lighting. Daimler Headquarters Design - Building Information Address: Mercedesstrasse, Stuttgart-Untertürkheim Client: Daimler AG Architect: 3XN Size: 28.000 m2 Porsche Museum image © Delugan Meissl Associated Architects Mercedes-Benz Museum Stuttgart photo: Christian Richters