The next chapter of a storied site: introducing Bugatti’s new world-class atelier
Molsheim
The Château Saint Jean in Molsheim has represented the home of Bugatti since the 1920s. Purchased by the marque’s founder, Ettore Bugatti, in 1928, it has hosted honored guests, customers and racing drivers from around the world. Yet the site, and all that has been built upon it, has remained elegantly natural in character – qualities that have been borne proudly by each car that has left the doors of the brand’s Atelier.
Now, entering the new era of Bugatti with the Tourbillon¹ hypercar, a new world-class production facility in the Château grounds is set to take up the mantle, as the next generation of the brand’s Atelier starts to move from concept to reality.
Remaining true to the natural charm of its surrounding environment, the new Bugatti Atelier is a structure that takes a contemporary twist on the elegance that first drew Ettore to the site. Walking towards the meadowland at the forefront of the Château site, the low and expansive design appears to gradually rise from it, with the design going above and beyond mandated requirements for integration into the surrounding environment. Its foremost sloping side brings the wild grass with it, going on to cover 30% of the structure’s roof.
The building is defined by an elegant contrast between discreetly dark walls and bright glass. A marvel of modern architecture 132 meters long and 25 meters wide, it belies its own scale with the intelligent approach to design synonymous with Bugatti vehicles. Expansive windows come together to form a wall of glass 5 meters high on the building’s eastern flank – opening the large space up to the morning light, and bringing the vista of the outside wilderness to Bugatti’s craftspeople as they work. Wide skylights punctuate the ceiling throughout the production space, bringing the glow of daylight into the bright hall through the course of the day.
The new Atelier’s modernity goes beyond skin-deep, however, with its intelligent layout delivering new levels of efficiency. Delivering double the production capacity of the existing Atelier, the larger floorspace and its upgraded facilities enable Bugatti to introduce a new generation of manufacturing equipment and workflow design, bringing more capabilities in-house. From the first assembly of vehicle sub-components, to the creation of the rolling chassis and facilitating its marriage to the bodywork, the building makes the process of bringing a Bugatti to life more efficient than at any other point in its 116-year history.
As the Bugatti brand continues its journey into a new era, so the existing Atelier building takes on its own evolution. The structure, designed in the shape of Bugatti’s iconic Macaron, will become a space for introducing guests to the world of the French luxury marque, where elegance meets craftsmanship. The building will allow them to experience the brand’s famous hospitality, while taking the opportunity to see the interior cabins of select vehicles being created – a unique chance to immerse themselves in the inimitable attention to detail that defines the marque.
“In its own way, every vehicle that has left Molsheim has gone on to carve out a unique story in the automotive world. Time after time, Bugatti vehicles have written chapter upon chapter in pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering – coming down to the incredible skill of the people in our Atelier. Now, with the next-generation Atelier starting to come to life, we look towards strengthening our production capabilities and brand even further. With the all-new equipment targeted for installation at the end of the year, we look ahead to bringing in new talent, efficiencies, and possibilities in creating more automotive history together. While the Tourbillon leads a bold new era in performance, our new production capabilities ensure that Molsheim continues to set the benchmark for excellence."
