by Melissa Callender

During the MoMA program I had the chance to visit a lot of buildings in New York. We saw the Seagram building, the Chrysler building, and with each one we also had the chance to observe and critique them as observers and as architects. Since it was one of my favorite activities, I wanted to do a review of my own to show my interest in it. When I was researching online I found a picture of the new Mercedes- Benz building in Germany. I wasn’t able to actually visit the building, but I was really interested in how it looked, and wanted to write about it. Hopefully some of the things that I learned from the program will show in my review, and maybe make you want to write your own.

I’ve never really been interested in cars, how they work, what new models came out, all my knowledge about cars basically stops at what color they are. But when I found this building it made me more interested in cars because the building wanted me to go inside it. The new Mercedes-Benz building, with its aluminum and glass material covering the building in a circular form, would definitely grab the attention of people on the Germany highway. It can store 160 cars in 178,000 square feet of space, including the display area. The architect Ben van Berkel likes the same thing that I like about the building: the spirals. When I saw a picture of the building it reminded me of the Guggenheim museum that I visited for an exhibition. “We wanted to make three, because then you could step in the other spiral,” says van Berkel about the building. I think it makes the building a lot more interesting because the people who go inside can easily travel through it. The car enthusiasts can also appreciate every part of the showroom at once (which could take about six hours, according to the architect!).

When examining architecture, it’s important to think about how it makes you feel. Even without seeing the building up close, you can tell that it is very large compared to its surroundings and that it can’t be missed. Usually, when you think of an inviting space, you think about what’s cozy and comfortable, with warm, relaxed tones. Well, this building is the opposite of all the things that I listed, so why is it a great building? I think that even though it’s big, with 100,000 tons of concrete and metal frames, it’s still inviting because of its visual appeal. If there was one thing that I got out of visiting buildings around NYC, it’s that things have to stand out in order for you to be drawn to them. If a building disappears and fades away in the sidewalk, you won’t notice it. But this building is impossible to just pass by. Thanks to its architecture, I think it’s safe to say that I left the Mercedes-Benz building liking cars a little bit more.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart, Germany