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Rover Group Design Complex

Weedon Partnership, Warwickshire, 1996

 

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External view of entrance 

Peter Cook/View (website)     Download Original

  • External view of entrance    
  • Panoramic view    
  • The buildings creates an impression of openness and transparencey    
  • Rear view of the building    
  • The internal street has a cafe and informal meeting areas    
  • The curved ceiling appears to float over internal walls    
  • The four-storey reception area creates a light, airy, welcoming public face to this very public building    
  • Large column-free areas are ideal for displaying cars    
  • Two tiers of open-plan office space overlooking the internal street    
  • The showroom overlooks a viewing garden where models can be viewed on various surfaces    
  • Site plan    
  • First floor plan    
  • Second floor plan    
  • Third floor plan    
  • Long section    
  • Section through studio    
  • Section through workshop    
  • Detail section through external wall    
  • Isometric of external wall and key section through studio    

Flexible design and engineering complex for the Rover Group

The various building elements of the design, workshops and engineering offices, are laid out around a street, which runs east to west through the building. The width of the street is determined by the need to move large, unpowered vehicles from the workshops that flank it. A cafe and informal meeting space add value to the space.

Offices for around 650 engineers are located over two floors on the north side of the street. At the western end is the design complex, which has a fully glazed northern facade overlooking a garden.

A separate, distinctive wing to the north houses the directors, project teams, meeting rooms and a break-out space. This wing is joined to the main building by a light, airy reception area.

A steel-frame and precast-concrete floor units make up the structure. A aluminium and glass rainscreen system clads the building.

Data

  • Begun: Mar 1995
  • Completed: Oct 1996
  • Floor area: 30,380m2
  • Sector: Industrial
  • Total cost: £29M
  • Procurement: Partnership Procurement
  • Address: Rover Group Design Complex, Gaydon, Warwickshire, CV35 0BJ, United Kingdom

Professional Team