Buildings Becoming Brands

Strong brands are influential across consumer sectors, but buildings rarely carry brand identities, leaving users with little assurance of quality, technology, sustainability, or security. Porsche Consulting gathered experts from architecture, construction, real estate, and design at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart for a discussion around “Brands become buildings – buildings become brands”.

Roland Sitzberger, Partner at Porsche Consulting, welcomed all guests at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and talked about gaining a competitive advantage and driving value with complex products such as buildings. He explained in the context of industrialized design and construction that it is essential to understand customer needs and requirements, even derived from the brand identity, upfront to offer suitable, customer-oriented solutions. However, the idea of branded buildings is only slowly gaining traction in the real estate industry. “Achieving this shift requires understanding customer needs and aligning brand values directly with building design and experience," states Sitzberger.

Keynote speaker Tobias Hüttl, Head of Design Studio at Studio F. A. Porsche, elaborated on how the design attributes Focus, Tension, and Purpose generate brand value for Porsche products, including the Porsche Design Towers located in Miami, Stuttgart, and soon Bangkok. Adding practical insights, Selcuk Ulu, Member of the Executive Board at Bülow AG, contributed to the discussion by sharing his experience collaborating on the Porsche Design Tower project in Stuttgart and coordinating with various stakeholders along the construction value chain.