Patricia Urquiola and BMW Look to the Skies for Showroom Inspiration

BMW Group tapped Interior Design Hall of Fame member Patricia Urquiola to collaborate with Senior Vice President Adrian van Hooydonk on a showroom for the company’s latest flagship cars at the BMW Welt in Munich. The cars are displayed at the combined exhibition, museum, and event venue on 3,466 square feet of flooring made from terrazzo using cutting-edge 3D-printing technology.

Inspiration for the design was taken from photographs of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe—which was painted in an exclusive shimmering green shade that evokes the northern lights—on a frozen lake. That imagery was translated into a sparkling terrazzo with swirling lines that represent both the cracks in the lake’s surface and the iconic shape of the aurora.

The relationship between Urquiola and van Hooydonk dates back many years, driven by a shared interpretation of luxury and performance. The showroom also has a lounge area featuring original works from Urquiola.