Gordon Murray Group Headquarters
- location:
- Surrey
- client:
- Gordon Murray Group
- role:
- ArchitectureInteriorsMasterplanning
- sector:
- Workplaces
- status:
- Completed 2023
A new Headquarters Building for automotive visionaries Gordon Murray Design
The first building of Design Engine’s new Gordon Murray Group Headquarters campus is now complete.
The proposed campus in Highams Park, Surrey, comprises of three new buildings containing design studios, workshops, manufacturing space, and office accommodation. The construction of the first phase has enabled the company to consolidate existing facilities from multiple sites, streamlining production and reinforcing a new identity moving forward.
Crucially, the project introduces new state-of-the-art facilities required to design and manufacture GMG’s latest suite of supercars, including the T.50, T.50s, T.33, and T.33 Spider models.
The design of the buildings and campus is a result of a close co-operation and dialogue between Gordon Murray and Design Engine that began in 2018. This includes many innovative features, such as a ground-breaking layout in the design and prototyping area which optimises the vehicle design and build process.
The Site
Design Team
- main contractor:
- Mace Interiors
- structural engineer:
- Arup
- quantity surveyor:
- Jackson Coles
- landscape consultant:
- Land Use Consultants
- planning consultant:
- Haydn Morris
Design Engine worked with the client, design team and specialist consultants to achieve outline and detailed planning permission for the campus on a sensitive rural site near Windlesham. The careful design and placement of buildings in a considered landscape scheme that protects and enhances existing ecology was key to realising approval from the local authority.
The particularly requirements of the client’s brief dictated buildings which were volumetrically substantial. To reduce their impact on surrounding context, a limited palette of materials was selected for the external envelope with an emphasis on a clean horizontality against the sky. The cladding wrapping each structure is designed to reflect Gordon Murray Group’s branding and ethos, with accent colours introduced to give a distinct identity to each building.
The composition of the buildings was key in establishing a clear ‘front door’ for clients, creating amenity spaces between buildings and views out across the landscape for both clients and staff. This led to a series of architectural components that were suitably robust to deliver these elements while seamlessly integrate ancillary services, delivery spaces and manufacturing within the same buildings.
Gordon Murray Automotive Building
The recently completed first phase is home to the Gordon Murray Automotive arm of GMG. It consists of a purpose-built 4,300 m2 Vehicle Production Centre and Heritage collection. The building houses a range of office accommodation for GMG staff, and hospitality and sales areas for prospective customers, who can specify, set-up, and take delivery of their GMA supercar on site.
The manufacturing and customer-facing sections of the building merge in the middle where a viewing gallery affords customers the opportunity to overlook the double-height manufacturing hall where their car is hand-assembled. This factor was considered when forming an approach to the interior design, which looks to express and celebrating the steel structure and services. Design Engine worked with Gordon Murray to ensure the selection and application of material finishes across the internal spaces embodied the spirit of GMA’s
A specially-designed Vehicle Dynamics Test Road, used for final validation and pre-delivery checks of new GMA supercars has also been completed, and the GMA building was strategically positioned to also allow customers to overlook this feature from a first floor lounge.
At Gordon Murray Design we are working with cutting edge materials and technology and our iStream Manufacturing Technology is a highly disruptive process which is pushing forward the boundaries of Automotive design, so I am very pleased to be working with Design Engine on the design of a new headquarter building for our company which will reflect that innovative work.
Professor Gordon Murray
The cross-over between automotive design and buildings has fascinated architects ever since the first production car was completed. It is therefore incredibly exciting to develop a series of buildings which will enable GMD to continue to be at the forefront of global car design. We are also excited about the huge sustainable opportunities the new iStream cars will offer and feel privileged to be able to play a small part in that vision.
Richard Jobson, Design Engine Founding Director
