j. mayer h. architects: level green exhibition

level green at autostadt wolfsburg, germany by j mayer h architects photo uwe walter all images courtesy j mayer h architects

personal responsibility in the sustainable use of global resources continues to play an increasingly important role in the life of the average consumer. in this context german firm j. mayer h. architects together with art + com were commissioned to develop a permanent exhibition on the topic sustainability for the volkswagen autostadt (car city) in wolfsburg, germany. the exhibition level green was opened on the 4th of june 2009 and encompasses approximately 1000 m2, rendering the highly complex topic providing for an aesthetic access to information.

level green at autostadt wolfsburg, germany photo uwe walter

as one of the first prominent signs of the growing consciousness for environmentally friendly consumption, the well known PET sign was taken as a starting point from which the metaphor of the extensively branched web was developed. the original 2-dimensional sign was extended into a third dimension and through a series of step by step manipulations a complex structure was created, which allows for an abstract property of the topic to be experienced on a spatial level.

after a phase of extensive material research, the design was executed by the use of easily processed wood composite sheets with varying thickness according to the structural and geometrical demands. in order to guarantee the structural performance of the construction, all vertical elements were reinforced with a steel structure and bolted to the concrete floor. after various testing, the colour coating was executed with acrylic-based car paint, developed to guarantee high usability while meeting strict environmental regulations.

the concept for the display is divided into areas of object like data and statistics and a touch sensitive surface for indepth explanations on different aspects of the topic. designed to evoke the visitors initial interest, the first are placed within the exhibition space in the form of data sculptures or sample objects. the latter take on the form of black surfaces for interaction or information carrier and are seamlessly integrated into the vertical elements which define different areas within the space.