foster + partners: mclaren production centre

‘mclaren production center’ by foster + partners, surrey, england image © mclaren all images courtesy of foster + partners

london-based architecture firm foster + partners have officially completed the mclaren production center, the second building designed for the company located by the rural fringe of london. the 34,5000 square meter facility will contain all future mclaren road vehicles. the assembly plant is a state-of-the-art production space which is connected to the existing technology center via an underground walkway which exhibits interactive installations. both buildings share a common language in architectural details and materials with aluminum cladding tubes and a circular glass drum mimicked beneath the overhang of the roof canopy.

the new structure is designed for efficiency and sustainability. the lower levels use the excavated soil from the site to conceal itself from the nearby road carving itself into the landscape. the roof collects rainwater and has the ability to have photovoltaic panels integrated in the future. the space is flexible in comparison to other modern manufacturing facilities with a wide span between columns and ceramic flooring. acting more like an operation theater than a factory, the linear organization follows the flow of the production line showcasing the technology of the plant and the system of networks where the components are delivered, assembled, painted, tested and finally detailed.

carved facility into landscape image © mclaren

the site will be the location of the recently-launched MP4-12C high-performance sports car, house all activities related to the manufacturing of the vehicle. built for speed the facility will be able to produce and build the product in 5 days at peak performance with a new car joining the line every 45 minutes. leading to a creation of a large number of skilled manufacturing jobs in the community.

assembly station image © nigel young

‘the mclaren production centre is a further leap forward in the evolution of industrial buildings, both socially and in terms of working conditions and technologically in its flexibility and the sophistication of its services integration. the scale and grandeur of the main hall is a fitting complement to the purity of the mclaren cars, which will emerge from its production line.’ – lord foster, founder and chairman, foster + partners –

assembly line image © nigel young

production floor image © nigel young

MP4-12C high performance sports car image © nigel young

car frame being assmbled image © nigel young

appliation of body to frame image © nigel young

final inspection of MP4-12C image © nigel young

final manufactured product image © nigel young

project info:

dates: 2009-2011 foster + parnters team: norman foster, david nelson, nigel dancey, iwan jones, dominik hauser, nina linde, chris johnstone, kathleen mark, nicholas papas client: mclaren group structural + civil geothermic, fire, acoustics, CDM: buro happold services and environmental consultant: PHA consult landscape architect planning consultant: terence o’rourke quantity surveyor: gardiner + thebold gross area: 34, 500 square meters external plant area: 620 square meters building height: 6.6 meters building length: 200 meters building width: 100 meters length of tunnel: 100 meters number of levels: 2

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