Formula One Computational Fluid Dynamics Facility – ArchitectureEnstone

State-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics Facility (CFD), used to simulate the aerodynamic performance of F1 cars and their components.

Ridge were appointed to design and deliver a state-of-the-art CFD facility to accommodate one of the biggest super-computers in Europe, along with entrance and exhibition space, a 60-seat auditorium and an office space with 30 workstations.

Ridge has been involved with the Enstone site since the construction of the main building in 1991.

The Headquarters site is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) in the Cotswolds. Any scheme here required a creative solution subject to onerous planning restrictions.

Concrete Society

Award for Innovation
60-seat

Auditorium
14,000m³

Of earth moved and redistributed on site

Ridge designed the facility to be built underground and engineered a landscape scheme to minimise the impact on the environment. 14,000m³ of soil was excavated and redistributed on site, designed and planned to spare the local villages the traffic of an estimated 1,700 loads of 8-wheel HGV’s.

The subterranean building is a very simple structure and makes use of a matière pre-cast arch structure, used for tunnels and bridges.

Ridge worked with the manufacturer and successfully adapted the structure to provide the main envelope for the building. The solution won a Concrete Society award for Innovation.