It held a spectacular light show last night that lit up the façade of the BMW Group headquarters
Four different animations addressing the transition to future mobility were projected on the world-famous architectural icon that is shaped like a four-cylinder engine.
The BMW Group’s current messages were conveyed by the 99-metre-high building in the form of powerfully expressive, brightly coloured animated sequences.
Head of BMW Brand Communication and Experience, Stefan Ponikva, emphasises the particular significance of the BMW Tower and the importance of this campaign: “The Four-Cylinder is the architectural icon of the BMW Group and a distinctive landmark in the city of Munich. We’re keen to send out a powerful signal to the world in support of a sustainable vision for a circular economy.”
The various sequences on the cylinder-shaped façade visualise the BMW Group’s approaches to CO2 reduction, climate neutrality and the circular economy over the entire lifecycle of an automobile. From low-impact extraction of raw materials and energy-efficient production through to maximum efficiency during the customer use phase and recycling at the end of the product’s lifetime.
A sequence of different projections illustrates this cycle, showcasing the circular economy – the BMW Group’s guiding theme at the IAA 2021 – as well as the company’s accomplishments to date in the electrification of its vehicles and the use of innovations such as those in the area of digitalisation.
One of the animations visualises the transition from the combustion engine to electric mobility: starting with the virtual up-and-down movement of pistons to portray the combustion process in the cylinders, this then transforms into colourful pulsating battery cells, finally announcing the status “Fully Charged”.
Another sequence is dedicated to the circular economy. At the beginning of this animation, the building shell of the Four-Cylinder Tower appears to melt, after which the inside of the cylinders fills with liquid metal.
From a vortex, the silhouette gradually emerges of the “BMW i Vision Circular” – the study vehicle being premiered at the IAA that symbolises the BMW Group’s extensive expertise in the circular economy. The following words appear at the end of this sequence: “WELCOME TO IAA. LET'S RE:IMAGINE TODAY.”
Film music creator and Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer provided the musical background for the light show; the sound collaboration was realised by Remote Control Productions, one of Zimmer's companies.
Over 16 million pixels from 36 projectors made the tower light up
Further light projections are planned for the days to come.
