BMW Group Research & Innovation Centre (FIZ).

In July 1983 the first construction phase – comprising a workshop building to accommodate design along with sample and prototype construction, and two office modules – was approved for realisation. In July 1984 the decision was made to add an acoustic testing facility as well. And in December of that year, proposals for two more office modules were approved. In September 1985 the FIZ build phase plan was confirmed up to phase three. 

Construction began in November 1984, with the topping-out ceremony held one year later. 

In 1986 the first developers and engineers moved into their new offices.

On 26 October 1990 the FIZ was officially opened. Speaking in the FIZ Forum, the then Board Member for Development, Dr Wolgang Reitzle, referred to the building as a special milestone in automotive development. 

Going on stream, the FIZ was the base for about 4,500 employees. It stood on a 100,000-m² plot of land and comprised 370,000 m² of floor space. Access was already available via the new underground trains, but also for personal transport, with parking for up to 3,500 cars.

Since then, the FIZ has steadily grown to meet increasing demand. Architectural and technical highlights have been added on a regular basis, such as the Projekthaus (completed in 2004 and comprising nine floors and 12,000 m2 of space) and Europe’s most cutting-edge wind tunnel (completed in 2008 and costing approx. €180 million to build)