Imagine being surrounded by a collection of heritage Aston Martin cars, with a DB5 being the center of attention – that would be any automotive fan's paradise. Well, that paradise might be a cave. It might sound strange, but this is no regular cave. It's a sophisticated car lair filled with vintage iconic models.
This is a new project planned for Warsaw, Poland, by design studios Unism and Arup. Designed for a private collection of Aston Martins, this James Bond-inspired showroom will be constructed under a grassy hill in one of the city's residential areas.
For the cave-like walls, the team of architects will use a reinforced concrete core structure finished with a steel structure. The ramp and the inside glass entrance will be designed to fit the requirements of the vintage cars that will fill the underground building, such as turning radius, wheel width, and other factors.
Inside, a collection that will include up to eight classic cars will be displayed on a rotating platform, including a DB2 Drophead and the Vantage. The platform will also make it easier to park the vehicles and will feature two additional spaces available for future additions to the collection.
Of course, being a cave-like structure, it has to follow an eco-friendly approach. The organic shape of the showroom will be highlighted by the light, which will enter through a three-meter-wide (10-foot) opening at the top.
A heat pump system will collect heat directly from the ground throughout the cold season, while during summer, because of the showroom's underground location, there will be little need for electricity to keep the whole building cool.
The team also plans to install a fume extraction system into the showroom's floor, which can be connected directly to the exhaust pipes to filter the fumes out. Unism and Arup hope that the project will be completed by 2022.
For the cave-like walls, the team of architects will use a reinforced concrete core structure finished with a steel structure. The ramp and the inside glass entrance will be designed to fit the requirements of the vintage cars that will fill the underground building, such as turning radius, wheel width, and other factors.
Inside, a collection that will include up to eight classic cars will be displayed on a rotating platform, including a DB2 Drophead and the Vantage. The platform will also make it easier to park the vehicles and will feature two additional spaces available for future additions to the collection.
Of course, being a cave-like structure, it has to follow an eco-friendly approach. The organic shape of the showroom will be highlighted by the light, which will enter through a three-meter-wide (10-foot) opening at the top.
A heat pump system will collect heat directly from the ground throughout the cold season, while during summer, because of the showroom's underground location, there will be little need for electricity to keep the whole building cool.
The team also plans to install a fume extraction system into the showroom's floor, which can be connected directly to the exhaust pipes to filter the fumes out. Unism and Arup hope that the project will be completed by 2022.