It was the architect's second construction on the company's Woking campus. Nearby is the McLaren Technology Center, whose semicircular plan complements the same semicircular body of water. It is connected to the new plant by a 100-meter underground passage.
McLaren Woking Campus Video
The production center is dedicated to the assembly of McLaren sports cars, model MP4-12C. At the start of the plant, it will take 10 days to assemble one car, but when production reaches full capacity, this time will be halved, and a new car will roll off the assembly line every 45 minutes.
Norman Foster stressed that the plant represents a new stage in the evolution of industrial facilities, both in terms of working conditions, as well as in terms of technology and ecology. The two-storey building of the plant is partially recessed into the ground so as not to disturb the landscape; above ground level, it rises only 6 m and at the same time is hidden behind specially planted trees. The roof is adapted for collecting rainwater and can be equipped with solar panels in the future. The building has a resource-saving ventilation system.
The large roof overhang, the rounded corners and the aluminum tube cladding of the façade are a reference to the decision of the nearby Technology Center, emphasizing the unity of the McLaren complex. The main floor of the plant is occupied by a conveyor line placed in a workshop in the full area of the building (the dimensions of the building are 100 mx 200 m); the free plan allows you to use it even with a possible change in technology: no reconstruction is required. The spans between the supports are increased, and the shiny white ceramic floor slabs emphasize the cleanliness of the workshop. The entire production can be viewed from the gallery on the mezzanine floor. Warehouses and technical rooms are located on the underground level.
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