Michael Angel Vazquez
Olympic problems
The architect himself describes the Tower as
[su_quote] «a unique modern office building with a characteristic driveway and enclosed courtyard. The design makes use of clearly defined shapes that convey precision, technical perfection and aesthetically appealing contour. As such, It perfectly represents the image of success and high aspirations of the BMW company.
Inside, functionality predominates. The design is based on convincing logical rationality, in order to improve communication flows in a team. The cloverleaf plan provides short paths within the building to optimize communication lines and office organization between the different departments, and maximum flexibility in the configuration of available space. " [/ su_quote]
As a curiosity, the installation of the BMW corporate emblems on the roof raised a great controversy: the Munich planning authority considered that the environmental impact would be considerable, and even a legal dispute was reached. Despite this, on the occasion of the start of the Olympic Games Eberhard von Kuenheim, then Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, printed the emblems of the Bavarian brand on canvas and hung them, as a test, at a height of almost 100 meters to the east and west of the superstructure.
The installation of the anagram on the latter side was particularly important for publicity purposes, as it would be visible from the Olympic Stadium and thus could attract the attention of the many attendees of sports competitions. This violated city regulations on outdoor advertising, and ultimately fined BMW in excess of DEM 110.000.
However, after lengthy negotiations with city authorities, permission to display the propeller insignia permanently on all four sides of the building was granted in the fall of 1973.
Today, the BMW plant with the Tower, the Museum and the Welt Opened in 2007 it is the most popular attraction in the State of Bavaria and attracts millions of visitors every year.
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A bowl full of history
The first museum-like exhibition space for historic BMW products was developed at the Munich plant in the mid-1920s, where starting in 1925, the company displayed its first automotive heritage in a specially designed room. .
To celebrate the company's fiftieth anniversary in 1966, this original room was remodeled and expanded. The museum was officially reopened on January 20, 1967 and, for the first time, it was announced to the general public. Its doors were then opened to any visitor interested in the history of the brand.
Even so, the availability of space and the number of historical exhibits remained modest, and the location within the plant's premises deterred many potential visitors.
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The importance of the legacy of the German company justified the lifting of the definitive museum-bowl in the early seventies (Courtesy of BMW)
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It was not until the 1970s, with the construction of the group's new headquarters, that the museum attracted public attention. Although the design of such a facility had not been specified in the 1968 architectural competition, Karl Schwanzer included in his proposal an external and independent building for the vehicle exhibition, which also featured a circular floor plan.
In the jury's opinion, the proposal to build a new museum at the intersection of Petuelring and Lerchenauer Strasse was a wise idea, as the form fitted well into the overall ensemble of buildings. The "Cuenco Museum" was also in perfect harmony with other cylindrical or circular structures in the vicinity, including the Television Tower or various gasometers.
The works of the new institution began in the spring of 1971, nine months after the start of the construction of the BMW Tower, and finished at the same time as the Olympic Stadium. Fittingly, the BMW Museum served as a claim for the 1972 Summer Olympics, as well as for the young Federal Republic of Germany to the rest of the world.
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along with the rest of the brand's heritage (Provided by BMW)
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Despite the compact and closed exterior shape, its interior was designed to welcome the general public. The Viennese architect developed an inner frame of circular columns, the space of which was filled by ramps and platforms apparently suspended in the air.
The interior structure is thus based on six solid columns growing at different heights within the space created by the bowl. The concrete outer shell was designed according to the automotive principle of the self-supporting body.
The museum building aims to integrate the "natural habitat" of the car: roads, bridges and parking lots, in a relatively restricted space. The basic concept is to bring the environment from the road to the exhibition space.
The BMW Museum forms a spiritual axis between factory, product and public, through events specially organized to make it a permanent institution of the cultural life of the city of Munich.
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