Mercedes-Benz Factory 56
Flexible and hybrid, Mercedes-Benz AG’s Factory 56 in Sindelfingen is a cutting-edge car factory. The bright, open assembly hall connects employees with the highly digitized vehicle production.
A hall that extends to an urban scale
Its footprint of about 150,000 square meters, which is roughly equivalent to 20 soccer pitches, makes it one of the largest assembly halls in Europe. A hall that extends to an urban scale. Its modular framework provides flexible space for innovative digital processes, technological innovations, and changing production needs.
The design uses a radically open floor plan to achieve the desired degree of flexibility. The column grid of the lightweight steel structure doubles the standard spacing to reach almost 29 meters. This exceedingly sophisticated structural and logistical solution eliminates the need for fire walls. Instead, a corridor was integrated that serves as a firebreak and main traffic route for self-driving transport vehicles, so-called AGVs.
The building was conceived with a view to optimizing material consumption and process flows, yet it involves a thoughtful design concept inside and out. In addition to the production areas, Factory 56 includes a hybrid front building functioning as the social core of the complex. It houses the common entrance for all employees, which features a wide staircase, a canteen, a staff shop, several conference areas, as well as most of the offices and meeting rooms, a small number of which are designed as modular spaces integrated directly into the assembly areas.
Views into the interior
The irregular site layout and steep topography called for an architectural innovation unique for factory buildings: The front building situated in the lower area was given a striking additional floor at base level featuring an extensive staircase leading into the building. The hall is enclosed by a dark base band that discreetly integrates delivery doors. Above this level, the bright, clearly structured façade connects to the base band. On the transparent front structure, the dark band opens to a wide glass joint to provide views into the interior.
The entire roof surface actively contributes to the building’s energy efficiency: Extensive green areas absorb water and act as natural insulation, mitigating the urban heat effect. A rooftop PV system generates much of the building’s electricity. Integrated skylights reduce the amount of artificial lighting required during the day.
Factory 56 is a forward-looking assembly hall that sets a new benchmark for the future of industrial architecture and serves as a model on a global scale.
Key Info
Collaboration Partners
B+G Ingenieure Bollinger und Grohmann GmbH, Assmann Climaplan GmbH, Eisenmann GmbH, Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH, Gruner Deutschland GmbH, Regierungsbaumeister Schlegel GmbH & Co. KG
