When your McLaren Automotive and you pride yourself that everything you do is pure perfection, what would your Headquarters and Manufacturing facility look like and how would it operate? McLaren, who is notorious for having more racing victories than anyones else finally built a facility to house there headquarters and maufacturing that every square inch follows there exact philosophy of design and theory of the “McLaren DNA” that embodies there unique character.
The 57,000 Square Meter facility, Deemed the Mclaren Technology Center, houses all of there groups together in one building to create a diverse work environment where they can all feed off one another. And Recently, the Mclaren Automotive center Built adjacent to the Headquarters is now the hub for the manufacturing of all there vehicles. The two buildings are filled with desgin and technology elements that would shock the majority of the population. For example, the building through its design is naturally cooled, thats right no air conditioning units. Its cooled by using a system of pipe work that circulates water from the lake attached to it, and that water keeps the building at a consistent 21 degrees celsius. Furthermore, the building is designed that every door opening, wall, window or panel, is in the size of 1.8 meters, or a half, or a third. It was stated by the chairman of Mclaren Ron Dennis, that ” the reason for this is that the human eye subconsciously sees these ratios and as a result no single thing will jump out at you.”
Now, as we have learned throughout our course, Project planning can be a daunting task, but how does one plan the project of construction of a building where attention to detail goes down to ever square centermeter. How does all of this excessive attention to detail create value within the company? How does the operations of the management of the company get affected since all of the groups are housed within the same building? And how do you think Mclaren Automotive would Forecast demand and production of there automobiles since this is the first production vehicle dedicated to a “mass production”?
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20111111/FREE/111119978
http://www.archdaily.com/185257/mclaren-production-centre-foster-partners/
http://www.dezeen.com/2011/11/17/mclaren-production-centre-by-foster-partners/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVGlqjCufMY
It is honestly amazing they can open up operations like this. Being such an expensive toy they must be putting up some numbers. I have seen a few of these in the past but none of the new ones. Cool stuff.
-John