Daimler Chrysler Assembly Plant

Jürgen Adam, Katharina Hausmann, Frank Jüttner

Description

The first automobile assembly plant of the German car producer in the USA was built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. On a site covering over 92.000 m² a minimum of 70,000 cars were to be produced every year; the building was to bring together all production steps under one roof. As a result of the fusion of Mercedes-Benz AG with the American Chrysler Corporation, the project combines different architectural approaches as well as different production methods of both countries with Japanese production know-how.

Since the building exclusively functions as an assembly plant, car components, such as prefabricated seats, wheel suspensions, and dashboards are being shipped here. The individual work areas were arranged along a central axis in the compact, rectangular building in order to improve communication within the company by means of architecture, and also to shorten transport distances between the different workshops. The close proximity of production and administration areas allowed for Mercedes’ philosophy of team work to be implemented: administration and staff areas are laid out in such a way that the individual production stages such as bodywork, paintwork and assembly can be experienced. The car bodies are being transported to the various workshops by overhead conveyors; after the painting of the chassis, body, chassis and motor are assembled. The proximity of the two office levels to the three most important production areas is designed to encourage exchange and effective cooperation between the different departments. Further facilities on the company premises of some 4 km² include a power station, tank storage for liquids and dangerous substances, a depot for completed automobiles, and a visitors’ center, as well as a test track and an off-road driving area, which was built using the soil excavated during building construction.

A 15 m high wedge-shaped volume juts out from the centre of the façade and marks the main entrance of the plant. From here, visitors and employees arrive at the entrance lobby, which receives daylight from north light roofs. This atrium, which links production and administration areas, can be used as a showroom; it also contains a large video screen for staff announcements. Through a glass wall parts of the production area can be viewed. The foyer space is connected to the central axis, about 30 m in width, with changing rooms on one hand side and paintwork and bodywork workshop on the other side. The main assembly plant is situated beyond those areas. A spacious and fully glazed staff cafeteria with an outdoor terrace offers views of a water pond, pine trees, and the surrounding hills.

Apart from the representative entrance area, the exterior envelope of the plant consists of large silver-colored panels. The façade structure allows for the flexible extension of the assembly areas. The heavy prefabricated trapezoid metal panels are approximately 10 cm thick and 9 m high. They are self-supporting and span the entire height from ground to eaves level. The office wing received a cladding of aluminum panels with an innovative environmentally friendly white coating. Window openings in the east and west façades permit natural ventilation of the interior; the northern front façade is fully glazed.