<<BACK TO PREVIOUS

Theatre of Modernism

Many people may frown at the idea of architecture as theatre, but why shouldn’t a working area, a space where we spent the bulk of our life in, be designed to evoke emotion?

Three conveyor belts carrying half finished cars cross the factory skyline to not just highlight the function of the building, but also to link the various units together

BMW’s new factory at Leipzig does exactly this. The strong linear lines that direct the interior landscape resemble a meticulously choreographed theatre of dance. The eyes are initially drawn in then made to follow the seemingly endless yet elegant lines up and down the bold interior space.

The three main production areas – body in white, paint shop and assembly – had already been built and it was the space between, the one that effectively links the whole building together that was offered out for competition. Amongst the strict criteria laid out by BMW was one of its internal philosophies that the design must encourage integration between workers of all levels.

Over 200 leading architects sent in their ideas, 24 were chosen and in March 2002, the jury unanimously favoured London-based designer Zaha Hadid’s proposal. Once agreed, it took only three years to construct the building, less time, ironically, than it often takes to build a car.

The architect was given the gruelling task of designing what effectively is the active nerve centre for the factory complex. It is from here that all threads of the building’s activities gather and branch out. The building acts also as a communication hub for the whole plant, where all the main offices, cafeteria and reception area are housed and it is open to the public with 50,000 expected to visit each year.

With this brief in mind, Hadid has created a structure whereby there is a constant visual awareness that this is a working car factory. This is not only explained with the actual use of lines and planes in steel and glass, but with a striking addition, something that I for one have not seen before. A constant flow of semi-finished vehicles slowly run along three conveyor belts above the core of the building. Even more theatrically, they are lit from beneath with ice blue lighting. There is no mistaking that this is a car factory.

Funnily enough the architect came to this conclusion also out of necessity. "The other manufacturing areas come off this building, therefore the cars had to pass through here in order to be made," explains project architect, Lars Teichmann. "It seemed like the most logical solution to have the conveyor belts on the skyline. This way it is both functional and staff at all levels can see what is happening with the production process."

The central building plays with interlinked spaces and the open-planned offices encourage the flow and integration of people. Workers of all levels, arrive at this building in the morning, they have lunch at the communal cafeteria and depart from the same area. Additionally, to get from one core production area to another, BMW employees are forced to enter and exit the core building, which makes it very different from other car factories which opt for a more linearly arranged site.

If all this sounds familiar, it is because Hadid is following a similar line to the Russian Constructivists and Bauhaus Modernists of the early 20th Century in her vision for a humanist yet functional working environment. The architect is a staunch Modernist and admits that even in the Post Modern crazed 80s she stuck to her ideology. "We were the odd ones out," she professes at dinner prior to the opening of the plant. "Now it’s all trendy to be a Modernist," she adds with a touch of scepticism.

There has been much praise and criticism when it comes to not just Hadid’s work, but also her uncompromising personality. Possibly the most famous female architect of our time, she was born in Baghdad, she moved to London in the early 70s to study at the famous Architectural Association. She now has her own company which designs not just buildings, but interiors, furniture and even theatre set design.

Leipzig is very much a Zaha Hadid work of art. Her signature strong linear lines and theatrical architecture are written all over the building. Walking through, you cannot help but feel you are being directed across a meticulously well-choreographed architectural route. Hadid is famous for exploring new spatial concepts and she has often been criticised for sacrificing function for sculptural drama. Here at Leipzig the two fuse beautifully together to create a perfect vision for the 21st century workplace.

Despite much criticism, BMW didn't invest in the former East Block, but in its own home territory, also hard hit by the recent economic slump. With this, the carmaker is promising a taste of wealthier Bavaria to the region. On observation you cannot help but think that the building symbolises this intent quite dramatically.

BMW knows the importance of architecture and branding, and Leipzig is a great example of this. Lars certainly thinks that the new manufacturing site will act as a prototype. "Maybe others will look at this building and think of adapting some of the ideas," he says. Off course, this will in turn reflect on BMW, branding it as a forward-looking visionary company.