The site itself posed a distinctive challenge: extending from a street intersection and tapering into the depth before widening again in an angular polygonal shape. Designing roughly 1,000 m² of generous, yet visually compelling presentation space for a car dealership on such a complex footprint required considerable finesse. The existing conditions on Düsseldorfer Straße made the decision clear: the previous structure—a modest sales pavilion from the 1970s—lacked both adequate space and the architectural presence a modern dealership demanded.

E2 Architekten from Meerbusch devised an inventive solution to meet the site's considerable structural and logistical demands. First, a new development plan required municipal approval, since commercial use had never been permitted here. Wedged between residential buildings, the new structure presents itself to the street as a fully glazed facade with an open post-and-beam grid, while its sandwich-panel-clad rear walls remain completely closed to neighboring properties. Beyond the exhibition hall, a two-story office wing houses reception, administrative functions, and technical spaces. With the site nearly maximized for floor area—parking alone claimed what little remained—conventional maneuvers became difficult. The architects' solution: two structurally independent skeleton frames connected by an intermediate section. This connector, initially left open to serve as a crane platform during construction, was sealed only after dismantling was complete. Unlike the exhibition hall's deliberately exposed steel trapezoid decking and visible ductwork, this connector received a traditional suspended ceiling. The strategy was twofold: it optically reconciles the differing ceiling spans while smoke vents inserted within create natural zoning in the expansive space. As darkness falls, the building's soaring volumes and delicate steel framework radiate into the urban landscape, with distinct lighting palettes highlighting each functional zone.

www.e2architekten.de

Photography Credits:

Michael Reisch
www.michaelreisch.net

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 02|22)