The headquarters of BMW (Bayerische Motoren-Werke) is located in Munich, capital of Bavaria, a prominent state in southern Germany.
On the day of the Champions League Final, we went to see the BMW Welt (BMW World) and the BMW Museum. BMW Welt was designed by Wolf Prix of the Viennese firm – Coop Himmelb(l)au. This is how a New York Times article described the building:
“An hourglass-shaped events hall grounds the building at one end, its torqued glass-and-steel form evoking a tornado drilling into the earth, sucking up energy from the passing cars. From here, the roof unfolds like a gigantic carpet draped over the main hall. Its curvaceous form billows up at some points and then sags at others, echoing the contours of the nearby park. A vertical band of glass cut into the main facade is set on an axis with the corporate tower across the street, locking the composition into its surroundings.”
From this footbridge, one can enter the hourglass by a spiral ramp which descends onto a showroom of new cars – but this is not the main space which is on the other side. The footbridge continues into and traverses the main hall which is gigantic with spaces dedicated to motorcycles, interiors, engines, and the cars.
BMW Welt is located next to the old Olympic stadium (Olympiapark) which was opened for football fans to see the football game live on the big screen (the Final was played at the Allianz Arena). As a result, huge crowds were visiting the BMW welt and museum on the day we were there.
As this is the flagship showroom of the brand, every effort has been exerted to promote its image of superior technology and luxury.
The latest models are on display.
Also shown are many M variants.
BMW Welt is also the delivery center of the brand where it provides an individualized program to those customers who come to collect their new car.
Visitors can see the handover process from the other side across the exhibition hall with envy. Like being on a stage, the new owner feels like he/she is receiving a prize. That’s what the dramatic architecture provides.
This is the main shop which carries every type of merchandise that carries a BMW logo, from kids cars, models, motor oil, paints, bags, books, and clothings (including the golfing and sailing collection). In addition to this shop, there are a couple of books and souvenir stands scattered around the building.
This place has several restaurants and cafes and has become one of the top tourist attractions in Munich reportedly receiving 850,000 visitors per year.
A bird’s eye view of the BMW plant, HQ, Welt and Museum (the picture borrowed from e-architect.co.uk)
