Mercedes-Benz Nusantara Showroom

The main focus from designing Mercedes Benz Showroom is the visitors who are looking at the car to be convinced that they want to buy the car that is being exhibited and the exhibited cars as interesting objects for the visitors. Thus, the main point which want to be accentuated in this building is visitors’ experience when they are looking at the cars. Mercedes Benz Showroom must be able to show the value of cars that are being exhibited and offered well. This consideration led Ario Andito, the Principal of Studio Sae, to adopt gallery as the main theme of the design. It is expected of visitors to be convinced in buying the well-presented car they have seen in the showroom.

The initial shape of Mercedes Benz Showroom was taken from Mercedes Benz logo, illustrating a circle which is divided by radial lines, Ario Andito concepted an analogy of a building mass with dividing lines as “krowak” inside the building as the term that Studio Sae uses to label the as “Krowakism”. Studio Sae defines Krowakism as a process to provide an alternative-multi-interactional and spatial room. Applying conceptual and technical Krowakism in a commercial building which prioritize efficiency such a Mercedes Benz Showroom could be a difficult thing to do. In the end, the Krowakism was applied by separating the generic building model following the context based on study on generic building model.

Mercedes Benz Showroom’s standard shape language with Krowakism as design principal was achieved at the last stage of designing. The masculine side of the showroom building would be accentuated at the exterior using prominent lines. To separate the outside and the inside of the building, blackish gray glass is used as the façade. The Krowakism principal is applied at the interior building by designing double-height ceilings with curved lines which took inspiration from Mercedes Benz’s body. The office rooms inside the showroom are in the shape of simple rectangular to adjust with the need of rooms to accommodate effective and efficient movement. An interesting spatial experience is created from the time the visitors enter the building from the elevated entrance. The purpose of elevating the entrance is to direct visitors’ sight towards the cars which are exhibited upstairs, so the visitors can enjoy interesting visual and spatial experience. The highest level of this building as leaving the elevator is the best part of sightseeing because the visitors will be able to enjoy an elegant and fancy view.