Less is more at the new BMW Brand Experience Center

Unlike normal car showrooms, the BMW Brand Experience center "concentrates more on history and crucial future thinking to give a sophisticated idea of the brand itself to visitors", said Ott.

"It demonstrates the company's past, present and future."

Two highlights at the center are the BMW i - a new BMW sub-brand focusing on sustainable, low-emission vehicles - and the BMW M-series sport cars.

The vintage car area shows classic BMW models such as the BMW 501 and the BMW 507.

There is also display of BMW's top-end cars, including a new 6 Series coupe and the new 7 Series.

In addition to display screens with information about cars, other advanced technologies are employed that allows visitors to interact with a system of computer applications.

"The entire place is a gallery or museum because BMW is a devoted sponsor of

Since BMW began its Art Car Project in 1975, the automaker has cooperated with famous contemporary artists every few years to develop an artwork that combines painting with one of its models.

In addition to the cars, the center also has an exhibition of BMW's corporate social responsibility activities such as its support to education and environmental protection.

The building itself actually incorporates the idea of sustainability, said the designer. It has no basement to reduce interference with soil and was constructed of environmentally friendly building materials.

To receive as much natural sunlight as possible in the morning and afternoon while avoiding too much light at noon, the building's main facades face east and west.

Ott said BMW competitors have similar centerr, only larger. "But a smaller place does not necessarily have less impact," he said. "BMW is a bit more flexible. It should very much suit the location, and it has to show the right things inside."

He said the building and more BMW Brand Experience centers planned elsewhere will become an "alliance" with designs that "look different but are recognizable" as BMW.

A MINI Brand Experience center has been planned nearby to form a triangle with the BMW center and the iconic China Art Museum. The project also designed by Ott will feature a boxy shape and color frames like a MINI car.