McLaren Production Centre / By Foster + Partners ~ HouseVariety

Thursday, December 8, 2011

McLaren Production Centre / By Foster + Partners

Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom
Foster + Partners
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong

Photo © Courtesy of McLaren

The McLaren Production Centre, the second building designed by Foster + Partners at McLaren’s Woking site one the outskirts of London.

Photo © Courtesy of McLaren

The 34, 500 square metre facility will house the assembly of all future McLaren Automotive road cars, including the recently launched MP4-12C high-performance sports car; it has already led to the creation of a large number of skilled manufacturing jobs.

Photo © Courtesy of Foster + Partners/Photo:Nigel Young

The state-of-the-art McLaren Production Centre is located to the south-west of the existing McLaren Technology Centre. The two buildings are connected by a subterranean walkway and share a common language of details and materials. The entrance, echoing the existing building, is a circular glass drum beneath the overhang of the roof canopy.

Photo © Courtesy of Foster + Partners/Photo:Nigel Young

As a manufacturing facility, the building is inherently flexible, with a wide span between columns and fully integrated services. The linear arrangement of the two-storey structure mirrors the flow of the production line: components are delivered; the cars are assembled, painted and tested, and then pass through a rolling road and car wash, before leaving the building. Beneath this floor there is a full basement level for storage and plant and above is a mezzanine floor with views over the production line. Every stage of production takes place under the same roof. Initially it will take 10 days for an MP4-12C to be assembled; at peak production it will be possible to build one in five days, with a new car joining the line every 45 minutes.

Photo © Courtesy of Foster + Partners/Photo:Nigel Young

Although the McLaren Production Centre represents a major increase in McLaren’s capabilities at its Woking campus, the building is dug into in the gentle incline of the site, to give it a discreet presence in the landscape. The lower floor is sunk completely below ground and the superstructure is almost invisible from the nearby road, with further screening provided by extensive tree planting.

Photo © Courtesy of Foster + Partners/Photo:Nigel Young

The new McLaren Production Centre is designed to be environmentally efficient. The roof collects rainwater and has been designed to integrate photovoltaic panels in future; and the building incorporates a low-energy system of displacement ventilation. No soil was removed from the site, and all excavated material has been used to conceal the building within the green-belt landscape.

Description from the Architects:

site plan--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

ground floor plan--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

East elevation/Tunnel--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

south elevation--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

west elevation--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

longitudinal section--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

cross section--drawing © Courtesy of Foster + Partners

Video:The MPC is a quantum leap in car manufacturing facilities and, as you can see in this video, is a truly special place, as innovative and exciting as the MP4-12C that is built there.

Video:McLaren Group Executive Chairman Ron Dennis and McLaren Automotive Managing Director present the stunning new McLaren Production Centre; the birthplace of all future sports cars from McLaren Automotive.

Project Data
Project name: McLaren Production Centre
Address: McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, Surrey GU21, UK
Program: Vehicle manufacturing facility
Gross Area: 34,500m2
Design Year: 2009

Completion Year: 2011
External Plant Area: 620 m2

Building Height: 6.6 m

Building Length: 200 m

Building Width: 100 m

Length of tunnel: 100 m (between visitors centre and MPC)

Number of Storeys: 2 (Ground and basement)
Visit McLaren's Website: here

The people

Client/Owner: McLaren Group

Architects: Foster + Partners
Principal Designers: Norman Foster, David Nelson, Nigel Dancey

Design Team: Iwan Jones, Dominik Hauser, Nina Linde, Chris Johnstone, Kathleen Mark, Nicholas Papas

Structural and Civil, Geothermic, Fire, Acoustics, CDM: Buro Happold

Services and Environmental Consultant: PHA Consult

Landscape Architect, Planning Consultant: Terence O’Rourke

Note>>Location in this map, indicate city/country but not exact address.

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Thursday, December 8, 2011