The future is being created in several light-flooded rooms in Sindelfingen, Germany. In the heart of the Mercedes-Benz design headquarters, work is already underway on the vehicles of tomorrow.
Creativity meets technology
What will the world look like in 20, 30 or even 40 years? What sort of vehicles will be present in the future? And how will they need to be designed to meet the requirements of their environment? These are just some of the questions that are asked on a daily basis at the Mercedes-Benz design headquarters – a place where show cars, research vehicles, and the series design of Mercedes-Benz vehicles are created.
“As designers, we create the future and always think at least one product cycle – that is five to eight years – ahead. Our mission is to design the most desirable cars in the world,” says Gorden Wagener, our chief design officer and one of the most influential automotive designers of our time.
Gorden and his team of 500 have one of the most exciting challenges: designing the future of Mercedes-Benz. They work tirelessly to bring show cars, research vehicles, and product and design proposals to life.
From hand-drawn sketches, digital drawings and 3D-printed parts to life-sized virtual models that can be displayed on huge screens called Powerwalls, every vision is perfected down to the finest detail – and always in keeping with the latest technological advances. With the introduction of cutting-edge UI/UX systems, an entirely new world has opened up for the designers in recent years. This is evident in the design of the intelligent multimedia system MBUX.
But if you thought that the team works exclusively on automotive design, you'd be mistaken. Accessories, fashion pieces and even architectural masterpieces are dreamt up there, too.
Inside our headquarters
Sindelfingen is not only where the latest trends come together, but also where the long-standing Mercedes-Benz design philosophy of Sensual Purity has its origins. The exterior of the headquarters exemplifies this: seven building sections lined up next to each other seem to fan out, the roofs like petals laid on top of each other. With clear lines and airy, open spaces, each part of the building has a design studio on the first floor and a model production hall on the ground floor.
Another of the building’s secrets? The roof of the presentation hall has covers that can be opened or closed as required to regulate the amount of light coming in. This allows for a detailed assessment of how light interacts with the vehicles' surfaces.
The same principles applied to the design headquarters in Sindelfingen are being replicated around the world; in Seoul, South Korea, the world-first Maybach Brand Centre – designed in close collaboration with Gorden – draws inspiration from the country’s traditional architecture and the sophisticated aesthetic of Mercedes-Maybach, with a dynamic roofline and pleated surface. In Miami and Dubai, skyscrapers known as Mercedes-Benz Places that reflect the brand’s dedication to innovation and an unparalleled lifestyle experience are also currently being built.
“We have applied our wholly distinctive design philosophy of Sensual Purity well beyond the automobile and created an iconic landmark,” says Gorden, talking about Mercedes-Benz Places in Dubai.
“It has a unique and futuristic look and is directly associated with the design, luxurious feel, and technology that are the hallmarks of every Mercedes-Benz.”
A global design network
Mercedes-Benz has set up international design centres, known as the Advanced Design Studios, at four locations worldwide: Sindelfingen, Carlsbad, Nice and Shanghai.
These Advanced Design Studios are an important source of ideas for concept vehicles as well as series production models – and many of the designs created there have enhanced the Mercedes-Benz product portfolio. Take the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven, for example; initially created as sketches in our studios, it was eventually moulded into a full-scale concept vehicle.
The teams in Sindelfingen, Carlsbad, Nice and Shanghai are relentlessly researching, experimenting and designing. Internationality is essential, as it enables the teams on site to constantly recognise the different trends in culture, creativity and innovation, says Gorden.
“The design studios are our creative melting pots, where we forge ideas for the luxury cars of the future,” he says. “The respective environment is a great, inexhaustible source of inspiration for our work.”
One thing above all becomes clear: the Mercedes-Benz Design Headquarters and the Advanced Design Studios are so much more than just workspaces or creative hubs. They are where the future of the brand is being shaped – the Mercedes-Benz products of tomorrow.
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