Jaguar’s new innovative design studio will be at the heart of its future

Jaguar has unveiled its new purpose-built design studio at the redeveloped Design and Engineering Centre in Gaydon.

The new Jaguar Design Studio will bring together the 280-strong team into one creative space for the first time in the marque’s history. 

The world’s most advanced automotive design centre has been developed to enhance the human creative design process with the latest technology. 

The new facility has more than 12,000m2 of workspace, which is around a third bigger than its previous space at Whitley. It also has 906m2 of glazing, including three full-length skylights, which flood the studio with natural light.

Julian Thomson, Jaguar’s Design Director, said: “Jaguar has a unique heritage as a design-led brand and this will always to be a central pillar of our DNA. The design values and philosophy that were created by Sir William Lyons remain the same, and this building will allow us to create the best cars for our customers, far into the future. 

“We truly believe that inspiration comes from interaction and collaboration. Our studio is fitted with the latest technologies but, just as important, is the diversity of human expertise and our passion for Jaguar which helps us design the extraordinary.”

At the centre of the new Jaguar Design Studio is the ‘Heart Space’, which will bring the teams together as they design future generations of Jaguars. Surrounding this area is a number of bespoke working environments including for Interior, Exterior, Colour and Materials teams.

The main studios are named Studio 3 and Studio 4, taking inspiration from the Le Mans-winning D-types, and paying homage to studios 1 and 2 at Whitley, which was Jaguar Design’s home since 1985.

The studios house a total of ten clay modelling plates, each measuring 20-metres long and with a load capacity of 4.5 tonnes. For the first time, designers can now place interior and exterior models next to one another to improve collaboration between the two disciplines. 

Each plate is fitted with floor-integrated machine rails to allow double-sided processing of models by the 3+2-axis clay milling machines. The advanced system can switch between measuring and milling both quickly and easily.

The plates also feature floor-integrated lifts for the clay models. These provide continuous height adjustment, allowing the most ergonomic working positions for the modellers. 

The studios are fully temperature controlled to ensure clay remains in the ideal state to be worked on, while lighting is provided at exactly the right brightness and colour temperature for optimal vision.

Studio 4 faces north to allow light to flow in from the outdoor viewing area, where models can be taken outside to be seen in natural light. Another first for Jaguar designers is the ability to scrutinise the models from alternative heights – with the Mezzanine, View Room and The Steps – an amphitheatre-style seating area.

The Colour and Materials team now have more space and technology to investigate advanced and sustainable materials in the new studio.

While virtual reality (VR) will play a pivotal role as designers and studio engineers will be able to test ideas in the virtual world faster and more efficiently than ever before. There is also an 11m 4K digital display wall called ‘The Electric’.

Alister Whelan, Jaguar’s Interior Design Director, said: “The whole studio has been conceived to refine the design process and make it even more dynamic, while maintaining the heart and soul of Jaguar. 

“We consulted the entire design team to create our new home together as a family. That’s a key part of our ethos because we want to encourage even more collaboration and synergy between different design disciplines in the studio.”

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