The Agora the central square of the Frankfurt Trade Fair, will set the stage for Audi's very first appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2011 with a separate, freestanding building – the Audi Ring. At the heart of the 100-meter long, 70-meter wide, and 12-meter high trade show pavilion is an integrated driving track, where up to nine vehicles will be moving simultaneously on two levels – visible also from the outside via elongated openings in the façade. The trade show presentation was developed by brand architects Schmidhuber + Partner (concept and architecture) in cooperation with the brand agency KMS TEAM (communications and media content.
The spatial concept and staging convey dynamism, innovation, and premium value: movement and progression are discernible from every point of the building. The architecture is characterized by flowing forms, curved lines, and surprising transitions, incorporating façade contours, entrances, and passages into an overall concept. Together with the multi-media displays and interactive exhibits, they render the core brand message "Vorsprungdurch Technik" (technological edge) and the future-oriented positioning of Audi into a sensual experience. Building on a long-standing partnership, the Audi Ring continues on from previous trade show appearances as the result of a consistent evolution.
The visitor tour starts in the "Grand Hall" where the complete range of latest Audi models is presented. The adjoining technology park focuses on technologies such as "Audi ultra", "Audi connect", and Audi e-tron" which are communicated via interactive exhibits including vehicle models made from acrylic, into which visitors can project diverse content holographically. At the end of the tour, three highlights await: the staging of the show cars Audi A2 concept and Audi urban concept as well as the multi-media brand show, where real and virtual elements, spatial dramaturgy, and communication are perfectly choreographed to blend into one.
With its architecture and communications strategy, the Audi Ring creates an authentic, holistic brand experience which leaves a long-lasting effect. Everything is geared towards involving the visitor – nowhere else is this as evident as on the 400-metre long driving track of the Audi Ring, where selected vehicles can be experienced first-hand.
