The BMW Headquarters (, ), also known as the BMW Tower (German: ''BMW-Turm'' or ''BMW-Hochhaus''), is a

high-rise building A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, residential tower, apartment block, block of flats, or office tower is a tall building, as opposed to a low-rise building and is defined differently in terms of height depending on the jurisdiction ...

located in the Am Riesenfeld area of

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, Germany. The building has served as the global

corporate headquarters Corporate headquarters is the part of a corporate structure that deals with tasks such as strategic planning, corporate communications, taxes, law, books of record, marketing, finance, human resources, and information technology. Corporate headqu ...

of German automaker

BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, trading as BMW Group (commonly abbreviated to BMW (), sometimes anglicised as Bavarian Motor Works), is a German multinational manufacturer of vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Th ...

since 1973. It was declared a protected historic building in 1999, and it is often cited as one of the most notable examples of

modern architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...

in Munich. Extensive renovations commenced in 2004 and were completed in 2006.

Concept and construction

The tower was built between 1968 and 1972, and it was ready in time for the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...

. The inauguration followed on 18 May 1973. The building is located next to the Olympiapark and BMW's main factory. The tower's exterior is supposed to mimic the shape of four cylinders in a

car engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal co ...

, with the

Museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

building representing a

cylinder head In a piston engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders, forming the roof of the combustion chamber. In sidevalve engines the head is a simple plate of metal containing the spark plugs and possibly heat dissipation fins. In more modern ...

. Both buildings were designed by the Austrian architect Karl Schwanzer. The tower consists of four vertical cylinders standing next to and across from each other. Each cylinder is divided horizontally in its center by a mold in the facade. Notably, these cylinders do not stand on the ground; they are suspended on a central support tower. During construction, individual floors were assembled on the ground and then elevated. The tower has a diameter of and has 22 occupied floors, two of which are basements and 18 of which serve as office space.

BMW campus

The

BMW Museum The BMW Museum is the corporate museum of BMW history and was established in 1973, shortly after the 1972 Summer Olympics opened. From 2004 to 2008, it was renovated in connection with the construction of the BMW Welt, directly opposite. The museu ...

is located right next to the tower while

BMW Welt The BMW Welt is a combined exhibition, delivery, adventure museum, and event venue located in Munich's district Am Riesenfeld, next to the Olympiapark (Munich), Olympic Park, in the immediate vicinity of the BMW Headquarters and factory. It was ...

, which showcases the current cars of BMW and acts as a distribution centre, opened on the opposite side of the road on 17 October 2007.

Popular culture

During the

, BMW branding was removed from the buildings to prevent

product placement Product placement, also known as embedded marketing, is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. Much of t ...

. BMW badging was also removed from the 2002 sedans, which accompanied Olympic marathon runners during the competition. The branding was removed again for the building's cameo appearance in the 1975 film '' Rollerball'', replaced by large orange circles, meant to stand for the fictional ruling Energy Corporation of the future. The building also made an appearance in the 1977 horror film '' Suspiria''.

References

External links

* https://www.7-forum.com/modelle/bmw_hochhaus.php {{Portal bar, Germany, Architecture Office buildings completed in 1972 Buildings and structures in Munich Registered historic buildings and monuments in Bavaria Towers in Germany BMW Tourist attractions in Munich Skyscrapers in Munich Skyscraper office buildings in Germany

Concept and construction

BMW campus

Popular culture

See also

References

External links