The Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building, home to the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) stands proud as it wins Building Magazine Project of the Year at the Building Awards 2020 on 3rd November 2020.

Last month we announced that the building had been shortlisted in the Project of the Year category. Nominees had to demonstrate outstanding contribution to the built environment and be an exemplar of transitioning an inspirational vision into reality. Lynne Sullivan OBE, a member of the judging team, said ‘We were both impressed and inspired by the National Automotive Innovation Centre. It feels like research and innovation 21st century style. It also feels like a great place to work, it has tactile qualities and spaces linking to outdoors. It is heroic and yet flexible and people centred, a memorable winner’.

Based at the University of Warwick, NAIC was officially opened on 18 February 2020 by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Centre is a partnership between WMG, University of Warwick, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors, and is the largest centre of its kind in Europe. It is well timed, arriving when a global mobility revolution is underway, with a new age for transport mobility.

A beacon for automotive research it brings together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future vehicles and mobility solutions. It is home to up to 1,000 staff working across design, engineering and research, as well as future engineers on degree programmes.

Designed by Cullinan Studios the brief for the Centre was for simplicity and strength of purpose, turning a complex assembly of spaces into an immediately legible building.

This is the third award won in the last month, the previous awards are BCO Central and Mildands Innovation Award and AIA Excellence in Design Award.