Long shot of BMW Headquarters building from Olympic towerVisitorsCongratulatory rolls and interviewsArrival of Dr. Helmut Panke, Edmund Stoiber, Lord Mayor of Munich Christian UdeZoom-outs from Olympic Centre to the place where the foundation stone is to be laidSpeech Dr. Helmut Panke, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AGWhat is the precise reason for BMW Welt? Our demand as a business enterprise on our three brands is clearly uniqueness. The BMW Group is a premium company. The BMW brand, and we have indeed emphasised this in all communications, is a premium brand. So we are committed in everything we do to represent something special. Consequently, our BMW Welt must also be something very special.VisitorsSpeech Dr. Helmut Panke, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AGWhy are we building BMW Welt right here? This is actually a rhetoric question. One could turn it round and say: “Where else?”. Here directly next to our company headquarters, the famous BMW “four cylinder” building, in the immediate vicinity of the BMW plant where around 800 automobiles of the 3 Series are produced daily and, just under 10 minutes north east from here, our Research and Innovation Centre – this is really like a nucleus for our company and for the brand.Speech by Lord Mayor of Munich, Christian Ude:With the commencement of this building project, the trilogy of BMW’s local commitments is finalised and crowned. Included in this trilogy are a new used car centre in the vicinity of the football stadium in Fröttmaning, the spectacular extension of the Research and Engineering Centre and now a third project – BMW Welt. Edmund Stoiber and Dr. Helmut Panke listeningSpeech by Lord Mayor of Munich, Christian Ude:But I now wish to speak about the building project as it is one of the most spectacular enhancements of the north of Munich we will ever see and can ever wish for. It was unacceptable that other automobile manufacturers offer their customers delivery centres as experience centres, but the Munich car builder who actually has its headquarters here and most of its car production, didn’t do this. We are now making up for this shortcoming, making it clear that BMW has its headquarters here and produces in the city, within the urban area, in an environmentally friendly way. This kind of neighbourhood is not problem-free right from the start and its organisation demands a great deal of patience, but it is today completely undisputed, luckily by both sides, both by the urban environment as well as the car manufacturer.VisitorsSpeech by Edmund Stoiber:Ladies and gentlemen,Today is certainly a great day for Munich, but also for Bavaria. People who invest in the city, in the Bavarian capital, in jobs, that is, of course, what we need at present, and this also generates confidence and optimism. And with BMW Welt, BMW, its employees, customers and all who are interested in the company and its history are acquiring a new and attractive meeting centre. And Munich and the whole of Bavaria are also getting, in terms of tourism, a further high-class attraction. BMW remains closely associated with the locations Germany, Bavaria and, of course, Munich. This is not contradictory to the company’s global commitment. Visitors applaudDr. Helmut Panke, Edmund Stoiber, Lord Mayor of Munich Christian Ude and others place the transparent capsules with congratulatory rolls into the foundation stone and are photographed, various shotsVisitors applaudDr. Helmut Panke lifts tra

Steel girders are mounted on foundation, various shotsConstruction work on double cone, various shotsBuilding site, various shotsInsertion of steel girders on double cone, various shotsInsertion of steel girders, various shotsBuilding site, various shotsDouble cone from craneConstruction work, various shotsInsertion of steel girders, various shotsBuilding site, various shotsDouble cone, various shotsLong shot of Olympic Centre, headquarters building and construction site from Olympiaberg, various shotsBuilding site with double cone from headquarters building, various shotsConstruction work, various shotsSteel binderLowering of steel gridsDouble cone, various shotsSteel girders, various shotsBuilding site, various shots2 men looking onto building site, various shotsOn the roof of double cone, various shotsInsertion of path construction, various shotsInsertion and assembly of lift for day storage system, various shotsDouble cone construction from headquartersBuilding site, various shotsSteel girders, various shotsStahl binder, various shotsSteel girders, various shotsDouble cone construction, various shotsLong shot of Olympic Centre, headquarters and building site from Olympiaberg

Banner bearing words “BMW Welt Richtfest 01.07.2005”, various shotsVarious guests and visitors during celebration, various shotsSpeech Dr. Herbert GrebencHerr Prix, ladies and gentlemen,Welcome to the BMW Welt topping–out ceremony. In the beginning, BMW Welt was a bold vision. Its realisation is a very special challenge to all, for the owners, for the planer and for the companies involved. You may ask “Why for the owners?” This building has to fulfil two important missions for the BMW brand. It is intended to offer customers from all over the world the possibility to receive their new BMW personally. It is our intention to hand over 250 vehicles to their fortunate owners every day. But we also aspire to create a place for all those who are interested, for all friends of the BMW brand, an open place that conveys the world and values of BMW. We wish to host the world here and to experience the world of BMW at this central communication and meeting facility.Various guests and visitors during celebration, various shotsSpeech by architect Prof. Wolf D. Prix:In Austria we say: “It must rain when the roof is put on so that the building is later leak-proof, or if it rains when the roof is put on, the weather will be nice at the opening.” But anyway, this building is, to be honest, a reason to be a little proud, because this building sets new standards in terms of content, design and in size and construction. Its content, which has already been mentioned, is not a car showroom, not just a showroom, but combines many functions such as an information centre, a theatre and restaurants. So it is a hybrid building.Speech by site foreman:(Traditional German topping-out ceremony toast to builders and craftsmen involved)Topping-out ceremony, various shots

Interview with architect Prof. Wolf D. Prix: The topping-out ceremony is a reason for any architect to be happy, it more or less frees him or her from the shackles of the foundation and one can sense how big and wonderful the building will be when it is completed. It is also a reason to be proud, especially of this building, because this building sets new standards, new standards in content, design and size. Content, because it will be a synergetic building. One will see not only cars, but there will also be restaurants, galleries, exhibitions. It is a huge marketplace combined with a theatre. It is a new function. It is going to be enormous. Just imagine, the roof of the building could cover the entire St. Mark’s Square in Venice, but nevertheless has only eleven supporting elements. If you consider that Greek temples 2500 years ago required 36 columns for a tenth of the size, then you can imagine what a constructional achievement this has bee.So one cannot separate the owner from the architect. In this case in particular, a close cooperation is most crucial as this building is intended to set new standards and because innovations are involved that have to be implemented jointly.

Interview with Rolf Wiedenmann: With BMW Welt our company is doing justice to the BMW brand’s premium claim by giving the brand an architectural symbol where we can boast the product and our entire competence. We are, if you like, translating proverbial “BMW driving pleasure” into a three-dimensional object, because everything that is contained in the proverbial driving pleasure you will experience at BMW Welt.