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REX_MB 22_01_PLAZA RENDER_CREDIT LUXIGON

MERCEDES-BENZ FUTURE LAB & CAMPUS EXTENSION 2.2 (MBC 2.2)
Stuttgart, Germany

CLIENT Daimler AG
PROGRAM Campus expansion with Amphitheater, Central Plaza, Classic Center for showcasing legacy automobiles, Sculpture Garden, and Future Lab: a museum for the brand’s impact on state-of-the-art mobility and a factory for creating, debating, and presenting the indeterminate future; including exhibition space for showcasing research and development activities, and (A-Z) art gallery, café, club lounge, education spaces, laboratories, lecture hall, offices, and workshops
AREA 33,500 m² (361,000 sf)
COST Confidential
STATUS Invited competition 2012; first prize 2014; succeeded by MBC 3.0
ARCHITECT REX
PERSONNEL Adam Chizmar (PL), Alberto Cumerlato, Danny Duong, Mette Fast, Luis Gil, Alysen Hiller, Tyler Hopf, Tomas Janka, Gabriel Jewell-Vitale, Roberto Otero, Joshua Ramus, Ishtiaq Rafiuddin (PL), Bogdan Rusu, Aude Soffer, Minyoung Song, Elina Spruza Chizmar (PL), Antariksh Tandon, Alex Tehranian, Matthew Uselman, Cristina Webb, Matthew Zych
CONSULTANTS Arup, Front, !melk, Theatre Projects

REX_MB 22_02_DOUBLE CURVE FACADE

Mercedes-Benz Future Lab 2.1

 

REX_MB 22_03_SHAPE DIAGRAM 1

To address design evolutions desired by Mercedes-Benz and to reduce costs, Future Lab 2.1’s ‘squircle’ is simplified to a circle, its Level 1 reshaped, and alternatives to its façade tested.

REX_MB 22_04_SHAPE DIAGRAM 2

The two non-cantilevered edges of the now-circular Level 1 are lifted,…

REX_MB 22_05_SHAPE DIAGRAM 3

…creating an increased slope for the Lecture Hall, the main access from the Campus Plaza to the Sculpture Garden,… 

REX_MB 22_06_SHAPE DIAGRAM 4

…and a sloped, arced vehicle display in the Workshop.

REX_MB 22_07_LEVEL 1 DIAGRAM

Resultant Level 1: Create-the-Future (Workshop, Genius, Lab, Lecture Hall)

Façade Test A: applying Future Lab 2.1’s undulating, double-curved façade to scheme 2.2 (shown here with rotating photovoltaic sunshade/glare control curtain deployed and then lifted)

To analyze façade costs, three options are tested on scheme 2.2’s new geometry: 1) application of version 2.1’s undulating, double-curved façade; 2) application of an undulating, single-curved façade that approximates a double-curved effect; and 3) application of a smooth, double-curved façade akin, although inverted, to scheme 2.0.

REX_MB 22_09_CLOSEUP 1

Study of undulating, double-curved façade

Façade Test B: advancing Future Lab 2.1’s undulating, double-curved façade with a more economical, undulating, single-curved façade (shown here with curtain deployed and then lifted)

REX_MB 22_11_CLOSEUP 2

Study of undulating, single-curved façade

REX_MB 22_12_FOLD DIAGRAM

A double-curved effect can be achieved from single-curved, trapezoidal panels of different shapes with uniform cylindrical folds of various angles. The optimized geometry is composed of 160 top panels with a fold angle variance of 67.22 to 68.02 degrees, and 160 bottom panels with a fold angle variance of 66.31 to 68.97 degrees.

REX_MB 22_13_TRAPEZOID PANELS DIAGRAM

All 320 differently-shaped trapezoidal panels can be produced on a single jig with a uniformly cylindrical fold.

REX_MB 22_14_FACADE SHAPE DIAGRAM

When the cylinder radii of the panel folds are larger than R1000 mm, the appearance of smooth, curved, vertical transitions from top panels to bottom panels—resembling double-curved surfaces—can be achieved while maintaining single, uniform curvature for all panels.

Façade Test C: replacing Future Lab 2.1’s façade with smooth, double-curved panels more akin, although inverted, to scheme 2.0 (shown here with curtain deployed and then lifted)

REX_MB 22_16_CLOSEUP 3

Study of smooth, double-curved façade

REX_MB 22_17_BUBBLE DIAGRAM

The third, selected façade geometry is composed of 144 smooth, double-curved glass panels. The façade is made cost-effective using triaxial symmetry which limits the average meridian radii of the panels to 18, thus requiring only 18 unique jigs for fabrication.

REX_MB 22_18_BUBBLE DIAGRAM

To generate the efficient shell geometry, meridian arcs are created from the roof line to the lower slab edge, with a constant midspan offset from vertical of 2.5 m; each panel is a lofted interpolation between circular arcs. The resultant panels have a maximum and minimum average meridian radius of 20.9 m and 16.2 m, with a maximum and minimum differential in average meridian radius between neighboring panels of 374 mm and 90 mm: tolerances which can be easily accommodated.

REX_MB 22_19_VARIABLE JIGS DIAGRAM

To further optimize costs, the 18 unique jigs are created through a limited number of reconfigurable arced metal ribs.

The changing nature of the Future Lab’s image (with its rotating photovoltaic sunshade/glare control curtain) and its contents (with its reconfiguring Media Screens) has the power to continually surprise.

Image Credits: 1, 20: Luxigon

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