Welcome Wall — BMW Group

This spectacular three-dimensional installation is a genuinely detailed and faithful 35 m2 (376 sq ft) reproduction of the new BMW 5 series´ front-end that makes your arrival at the airport an unforgettable experience.



In only two months time Hahlbrock managed to build the impressive welcome wall object from glass fibre-reinforced plastics. The biggest challenge here was the chromium plating of the two typical BMW-style "kidneys" on the bonnet.

Never before had such large one-piece surfaces been chrome-plated in such a high quality! The prerequisites for realising the "Welcome Wall" were precise shaping of the dynamic contours, accurate fitting of the individual parts (just like the original!) and a Class A paint finish. In addition, an existing installation – louvres covered with printed transparent film both sides – had to be fitted to the wall to form the radiator grill of this oversized but otherwise faithful representation of a BMW front end.



All the GRP moulded parts produced in the Hahlbrock CAD/CAM environment had to remain faithful to the original form throughout the entire fabrication process, despite their lightweight construction. The prerequisite for the effect of the chromium plating was the creation of very smooth, harmonious surfaces and edges without the stiffeners being detectable. All the relevant edges of the moulded parts were therefore CNC-milled. Thanks to the accuracy of the manufacturing process, the installation of the 35 m2 Welcome Wall in the existing components was completed in a very short time.


BMW was able to present its spectacularly refurbished Welcome Wall in Hall E03 of Munich Airport in time for the start of the Geneva Motor Show 2005. The high-quality workmanship of this advertising object was the ideal way of emphasizing the acknowledged quality of the BMW brand.

The "Welcome Wall" earned its designers, the thinknewgroup Agency, the gold medal in the "Geschaltete Motive" (i.e. motifs in context) category of the "Munich Airport Award 2005". Reger Studios was a finalist in the "Best of GWA – Production Awards 2005" in the "Outdoor Advertising" category. Congratulations to all of you!


Facts and Figures
 Design  thinknewgroup, Bernhard Franken
 Year  2005
 Location  Flughafen München, Terminal II