To be the biggest commercial centre for Mercedes Benz in southern Europe, the project developed directly by the Daimler Chrysler architecture centre in Stuttgart will cover around 66 000 square metres in the Gallarate area, near the new Milan trade fair centre, with an expected overall investment of around 70 million euro. The materials that predominate are glass and aluminium as well as marble, wood and stone with the emphasis on transparency to highlight the size of the spaces.

It is not just a new look or extension to the existing showroom in via Gallarate, visible from piazzale Kennedy but an entire structure articulated like a small city in line with a concept that Mercedes is using more and more around Europe. The complex revolves around a large piazza, there will be a hall for events able to hold 2000 people complete with state of the art multimedia equipment, the “brand tower” that will house exhibitions and a permanent display with an auditorium on the top floor, a Mercedes workshop that will be one of the biggest in Italy; car showrooms on various floors with around 70 display areas, a large second hand centre for 200 cars, a bar-bistrot and shop with accessories and gifts.

It will take about two years to build the “Mercedes ideal city”, the complex should be ready for autumn 2007. L.M.