Since 2001 DKA have worked with Mercedes-Benz South West to develop a franchise of dealerships, after sales centres and used car facilities. Having completed a build programme of four new dealerships, we have helped the business adapt and grow; maximising the efficiency of their sites and designing supporting sites local to the dealerships to help with the pressures of car storage, parts distribution and workshop space. We continue to return to each dealership to integrate new corporate styling, new workplace layouts and retail initiatives. The buildings have proved to be flexible to the changing needs of a competitive and image-focused market.
Mercedes-Benz South West Dealerships
Flexible to the changing needs of a competitive and image-focused market
Marsh Barton in Exeter, the dealership DKA developed with Mercedes-Benz, was named 'Building of the Year' by the 2002 Commercial Property Awards. In 2024 we returned to implement Mercedes-Benz MAR20x brand guidelines revitalising the showroom to appear new all over again.
Familiar Experience
Over more than 20 years, DKA has worked with City West Country to ensure that their showrooms remain at a flagship standard that enhances customer experience, maximises potential sales growth and delivers projects within a live trading environment with minimal downtime.
The first of the dealerships was at Marsh Barton in Exeter and was in the vanguard of new Mercedes-Benz corporate architecture. This was to act as the hub for the region and included a separate Smart pavilion. The 2,500 sqm building comprised a 17-car showroom, offices, workshop, parts department and body shop. The project was named ‘Building of the Year’ by the 2002 Commercial Property Awards.
The second site was in Taunton, on a wedge of land between Tone Way and the MOD Hydrographic Office. This site presented greater challenges, but being a smaller dealership, we were able to create a totally different form and structural system to Exeter whilst giving the two a familiar experience for customers. The site had to respect a public footpath to the rear and include an attenuation pond around which the display parking areas were arranged. Plymouth and Truro dealerships followed, the latter being a conversion and extension to an existing industrial unit. With all the sites, DKA led the design team and coordinated the specialist suppliers for workshop equipment, external signage, branded fittings and loose furniture.
DKA have helped Mercedes-Benz South West business develop offsite facilities at Exeter, Taunton and Plymouth
revitalising excellence; introducing a new brand
Our latest project at City West Country’s Flagship Exeter Showroom involved implementing Mercedes-Benz MAR20x brand guidelines, updating the ‘Smart’ brand, and incorporating the GWM ORA. We worked closely with the client team, MBUK network facilities manager, and FF&E suppliers to create a brand-compliant scheme that accommodated ORA while maintaining brand separation.
The works included: compartmentation of brand areas; reconfiguration of offices and WCs; tiling and redecoration throughout; envelope redecoration; new signage; and installation of new FF&E. The project was completed in four phases, over four months, to minimise disruption to the retail operation. The finished refurbishment has revitalised the showroom, enhanced the customer experience, and maximised potential sales growth for CWC. client’s requirements into new build offsite service centres that were built by developers. We helped ensure the necessary power, data, signage and corporate identity was included in the base build – and coordinated with the developer’s design team.
