Standards for auto centers
The typology of auto centers has been formed in the world for a long time and it is based on clear regulations of brand books - codes of rules for the device, layout and design of car dealerships and service complexes drawn up by each manufacturer. Volumetric "folios" regulate all the elements of buildings, up to the color and finishing material, allowed for use in the interiors of a particular functional area.
At the dawn of the capitalist economy in Russia, the requirements for adherence to brand books were not so strong. The market developed rapidly and the showiness and catchy architecture of the car dealership came to the fore. That period gave Russian architecture many notable buildings, but, like many other things, this approach faded into oblivion, being replaced by a more rational one: with simple orthogonal volumes, large stained-glass facades, high-tech or pseudo-high-tech designs and the obligatory large inscription with the brand name at the top of the building. … It would seem that in such a situation, auto centers could hardly be of interest to architects as a testing ground for creative searches and professional discoveries. And nevertheless, even within this typology with all its brand restrictions, leading Russian architects continue to seek and create extraordinary objects claiming a significant status.
The portfolio of the A. Len bureau includes about forty projects of auto centers in St. Petersburg, two thirds of which have been implemented. We can say that this is one of the earliest and most stable specializations of the company - "A. Len" worked with dealers of the largest brands: Infinity, Mercedes, Porsche, Lexus, Ford, KIA. The Avangard car service center on Primorsky Prospekt, designed and implemented by the architects A. Len, is the only large complex of this typology, built in 2017 in Russia, and one of the largest in Europe at the moment. It includes an assortment of not only the main Mercedes brand, but also its luxury divisions such as AMG and Maybach. In this project, the architects have demonstrated how the opportunities hidden in the standards of brandbooks have not yet been used.
Restrictions as an incentive
Like conventional building codes, the requirements for organizing and equipping branded auto centers can be perceived as obstacles to the architect's self-expression, but in some cases they become a catalyst for the creative process. This is exactly the incentive for the A. Len bureau the brand book of the Mercedes company and its AMG division when designing a new auto center in St. Petersburg.
The instructions that must be followed during the construction of branded car dealerships anywhere in the world thoroughly describe the dimensions and arrangement of various functional areas, the constructive solutions of the facades and its design, up to the use of columns of a certain geometry and color, materials of certain types and manufacturers. With such standardization, it is difficult to hope for freedom of creativity, but it turns out that restrictions only stimulate creativity. And brand representatives, in most cases, support new ideas that go beyond templates, especially if innovations help to emphasize the brand's image and attract customers.
According to the head of the bureau, Sergei Oreshkin, “it was an interesting exercise for the architect - to develop original and high-quality solutions within the rather rigid framework of the brand book, which dictates the restrained solidity of the world famous brand. The building acts as a shell for a high-end, luxury product. This skin should be as attractive as the product, but not enough to distract the consumer from the cars themselves. It is like a case for luxurious perfume - the box must be perfect, but still it is not the main thing, the main thing, the real value is inside. Therefore, the shell must be different, it must be seen that this is the "packaging" of a Mercedes. But the whole value, the heart of this complex is the products of the concern. " ***
Simple form for valuable content
The architects offered the customer a laconic architectural form with several spatial elements that can complement and emphasize it favorably. The authors cite the architecture of Richard Meier as a source of inspiration, with its characteristic simplicity of volumes and perfection of proportions.
The main volume of the car dealership is a six-story parallelepiped.
On the south side, a cylindrical block of a ramp is cut into the volume, leading to an exploited roof, on which a parking lot for 69 cars is arranged. The main, northern facade, facing one of the busiest highways in St. Petersburg - Primorsky Prospekt, is completely glazed and serves as a huge showcase. Thin metal columns are installed parallel to the glass façade - familiar to anyone who follows the history of the brand. These columns are always present in Mercedes branded showrooms. However, a few years ago they were usually dark blue. But the brand does not stand still and boldly discovers new colors, while maintaining a commitment to respectability and chic.
The need to attach columns to the facade gave the architects the opportunity to diversify its plastic solution. Tectonic logic demanded some kind of crowning element, the role of which was taken over by a massive canopy plate hanging over the entire facade and terrace on the sixth floor, where a restaurant will soon open for guests of the car dealership. Interestingly, the brand book stipulated the possibility of using a thin visor, but the architects proposed a more massive form, linked to the proportions and main divisions of the building, and insisted on its implementation, thanks to which the main facade received an effective completion.
Another successful innovation proposed by the architects was an unusual system for displaying cars. As conceived by the authors, all the current models of the brand are presented on the three middle floors along the main glass façade. For greater effect, the designers recommended displaying only white cars in the "showcase". They are more noticeable during the day, and in the evening, thanks to special illumination, they literally shine. The architectural solution turned out to be successful from a marketing point of view as well. The exposition of the cars exhibited behind the glass facade is clearly visible from the overpass of the Western High-Speed Diameter junction, which passes several tens of meters from the facade. So Mercedes products are guaranteed the attention of tens of thousands of drivers passing through this junction every day. ***
The position obliges
When choosing the architectural and structural solutions of the complex, the architects tried to emphasize the qualities characteristic of the Mercedes brand: advanced technical level, perfection of form and function, reliability and durability.
The most clearly high quality standards for German car dealerships were demonstrated when choosing a façade glazing system. Traditionally, in Russia, a fairly economical combined subsystem is used for glazing a large area, in which steel elements carrying the main load are combined with additional aluminum ones designed to fix double-glazed windows. The clutter of auxiliary structures degrades the appearance and neutralizes the effect of the glass wall, the main value of which is transparency. There are alternative systems on the market in which all elements are made of steel, due to which large spans can be covered, and the substructure is as thin and elegant as possible, but they are expensive and difficult to manufacture and install. In St. Petersburg, such steel facades were used only in small one-story buildings. It was only at the Porsche Motor Show that the system was made ten meters high.
The architects of the A. Len bureau, realizing how high the bar must be maintained by design solutions next to high-class Mercedes cars, convinced the customer to use a steel system for the main facade of the Avangard car dealership. As a result, it was possible to make a unique stained glass window 20 meters high from 5 meters high glass from the Finnish-made profile, which adequately complements the appearance and interior of the salon.
The rest of the facades of the complex are designed in a more pragmatic way, but in strict accordance with the metric and proportional series developed for the building. The dimensions and pattern of the glazing, as well as the choice of the type and method of facade cladding, are determined in accordance with the functions of a particular zone located inside the building. The glass showcase required for an exhibition of luxury cars is being replaced by the standard stripes of tapered one- and two-story windows in the administrative section of the building, with the size of the windows being determined by the number of workplaces in the office.
When entering the service area, the pattern of the openings changes again. On the rear façade, the leitmotif is vertical windows and the cylindrical volume of the ramp, sewn like a decorative stitching with square technical windows. Initially, it was planned to make the ramp cold and close it with a high-tech lattice, but later the idea was abandoned: we settled on a warm facade that protects the steep ramp from precipitation and icing. ***
Inner world
As you might guess, the planning and design of the interior spaces was several times more difficult and required much more time than designing the exterior of the building. But all the difficulties, including the coordination of all interior details with the brand representatives, were justified from the point of view of the authors of the project. Sergey Oreshkin comments on the need to keep all parts of the project under the author's control: “In recent years, we have begun to take into the development of the interiors of our objects, as we have repeatedly encountered examples when third-party architects did not perceive the interior design as an organic part of the architectural solution of the entire building, which is the most negative affected the result in a way”.
The architects of the A. Len bureau defined the character of the interior spaces of the Avangard dealership as masculine, combining signs of a refined high-tech style and noble club restraint. The graphics and meticulous attention to detail are what distinguishes this interior and makes it the best backdrop for displaying and selling Mercedes, AMG and Maybach vehicles.
The materials used in the interior are mainly metal and glass. Only in some places they are set off by the already mentioned wood and brutal concrete. The architects chose white and black as the main colors, the logical addition of which was the gray and amber colors of natural wood, found in the decoration in areas intended for relaxation and longer stays of clients, such as the waiting room and cafe. The colors of the spaces clearly follow their function: presentation, light spaces are decorated with a predominance of white; in technical, dark areas, black prevails. In the intermediate zones, both colors are combined.
In order to emphasize the graphical nature of the space, architects introduce an additional system of accents into the interior - lighting devices that differ in form and function, but perform not only their direct role,but also bringing a bit of drive into the interior and helping to build intuitive navigation. In addition, in the AMG zones, where the tuned cars are displayed, a special atmosphere is created with the help of lighting and audio effects, emphasizing the exclusivity and privilege of each car.
Some refinement inherent in the interior is explained by the principled position of the authors. “We always make a restrained interior, realizing that then life,“chaos”and spontaneous decor will inevitably come into it. In this case, it will be equipment, cars, employees, customers. The building will take on a life of its own. And we can never control the result. That is why it is so important to leave the interior in some way unfinished, to keep the backlash for future development, - this is how Sergey Oreshkin explains his vision.
New standards for a brand book
The work done by the A. Len bureau on the development of the Avangard car dealership project made a strong impression on the German experts who represented the Mercedes company and its divisions at the opening of the center. Guided by the principles of the corporate brand book, the architects were able to find, convincingly present and defend their point of view during consultations, and, finally, to implement in the current Russian conditions many solutions that formally differ from the “letter” of the existing rules, but clearly express their “spirit”. Creative reworking of regulatory requirements, a creative approach to creating the most efficient, comfortable and aesthetic space for the presentation of the concern's products formed the basis of this project and were highly appreciated. Some of the innovations were even suggested by German experts to be included in the corporate brand book, which can be regarded as a sign of unconditional recognition.
