Polestar Production Facility
An inclusive production facility
2016–2019
Introduction
The new Chengdu headquarter for the electric performance car producer Polestar combines world-class production facilities with touchpoints for both customers and visitors. The bright and spacious production facility is open to everyone, and the building provides great outdoor spaces, while allowing generous amounts of daylight to enter the space.
With its curved exterior, the building gives associations to the movement and dynamics of the car industry and car racing, while also tying the landscape and the building together. Central to the building is a glazed atrium that visually ties the different spaces together, acting as a shared courtyard with the aim of connecting all employees under one roof.
Technical details
Polestar AB
A new standard for inclusive production facilities
The design is based on an interaction scheme which gathers the researchers, producers and designers in one place together with workers, administration, leadership, customers, clients and visitors, creating a place for openness and inclusion. Working in open shared workspaces enables dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience across departments. The intention of increased collaboration is further emphasized with a common front garden, creating shared outdoor spaces, daylight qualities and views for everyone.
With the various functions in close proximity to each other, the idea is to stimulate interaction and collaboration across disciplines. The new headquarter aims to enable new ways to align creative visionary processes with technical production requirements, and the layout sets a new standard for inclusive production facilities.
Light-filled interior meets steel shell exterior
The interior spaces are dominated by a light and clean color palette, reflecting a car manufacturing laboratory focused on technology and production. In the production area, large windows have been installed to create a view of the surrounding greenery, and to allow maximal use of daylight. Meeting spaces have been created both inside and outside the building to encourage social engagement across disciplines, and simultaneously utilizing the building’s surrounding green spaces.
An exterior black steel shell contrasts the luminous interiors, giving the building a distinct character in the surrounding landscape. The building curves out of the main factory volume to create areas for offices, canteens and a visitor center. Vertically, the curved façade lifts to accentuate the building’s entrances.
Packed with experiences
The production facility includes a customer experience center staffed by product experts, as well as a customer test track, designed by Snøhetta in collaboration with engineers from Volvo, constructed within the campus to enable potential customers to evaluate the car to the extremes beyond the extent of what is possible on public roads.
A distinct feature for the factory is the visitor center. Upon entering the facility, the guests can experience Polestar’s “visitor loop” – walking along the mezzanine where you get a view of the whole factory, the different departments and ongoing exhibitions. The visitor loop is intended for anything from potential customers, companies and students who are intrigued to learn more about Polestar.
2 Sustainable solutions
Parking spaces for both bicycles and electric vehicles have been installed, as well as energy-efficient solutions to ventilation, drainage and use of water. A strong emphasis has been placed on creating inviting communal areas for the employees, using robust and durable materials with great longevity, such as steel, stainless steel and concrete.