Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart, Germany

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is located at the entrance to the DaimlerChrysler International Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. The design is formed as a doublehelix with a central, triangular-shaped atrium. Blueprints, which were entered into an international competition, reveal a holistic energy and comfort design concept.
During the concept development phase the plans for the building took into consideration architectural, climatic load bearing and specific user requirements. The intention is that Museum visitors should experience optimum environmental and visual comfort during their visit. In addition to user comfort conservational requirements defined the room conditions.
The basic premise of the climatic concept is the use of natural ventilation to control interior heat that has been generated, for example by lighting, before it affects the air in the room. In addition, solar gains and natural lighting are regulated. Natural air movement and displacement ventilation is used as much as possible for its cooling effect. A noteworthy aspect of this design concept is its flexibility and ease of expansion for possible modification at a later date.