JLR – Project Wallace, Slovakia

JLR needed to look beyond immediate growth and plan for what comes next.

Project Wallace explored future expansion opportunities in Slovakia, helping shape facilities to support changing technologies and the next generation of vehicle manufacturing.

Defining the brief – and finding the right fit

Large manufacturing projects rely on strong foundations long before work starts on site.

Project Wallace focused on the next phase of JLR’s manufacturing ambitions in Slovakia. Earlier development phases, known as Project Darwin, were already underway. Wallace looked further ahead, assessing how future expansion could support increased output and a shift towards battery electric vehicle production.

We supported RIBA Stages 1 and 2, providing architecture and building services engineering expertise while helping define what future growth could look like.

Working closely with stakeholders across the business, we developed detailed briefs covering operations, logistics and space requirements. The move to battery electric vehicle production brought new considerations, which needed to be considered early.

Once the brief was defined, we assessed potential sites against these requirements. Space planning studies, process diagrams and 3D models helped teams test ideas and understand how facilities could work in practice.

This was about more than choosing land. It was about identifying the right long-term fit.

Balancing complexity with practical decisions

The scale of the programme meant looking beyond the buildings themselves.

We reviewed transport links, rail infrastructure and routes to Baltic ports to understand how products could move efficiently. Utilities and regional capacity were assessed alongside topography, ground conditions and wider infrastructure needs.

Our team also developed recommendations for surveys and investigations, helping build a clearer picture of each site's opportunities and constraints.

Close collaboration was key. We worked with local consultants in Slovakia and specialist teams across JLR, combining local insight with wider project knowledge.

Detailed diagrams and BIM models helped simplify complex information and support decision-making. Sometimes a simple visual makes all the difference.

Supporting long-term manufacturing growth

By bringing together technical insight, stakeholder input and practical design thinking, we helped create a clearer path forward for the next stages of growth. The work also considered how future facilities could support both battery electric and internal combustion vehicle production as requirements continue to evolve.

Planning for the future rarely stands still. Project Wallace provides a stronger foundation for whatever comes next.