A new production facility for electric car producer Polestar, this latest project from Snøhetta is a bright, spacious and open building that brings together employees, clients and visitors. Environmentally friendly measures such as outdoor spaces and generous amounts of light inform the design along with energy-efficient solutions to ventilation and water usage.
Visually the building is defined by its curving shape. This curve acts as a structuring gesture, creating associations to the movement and dynamics of the car industry and car racing as well as tying landscape and building together.
The building curves out of the main factory volume to create areas for offices, canteens, and a visitor centre. Vertically, the curved façade lifts to highlight the building’s entrances. The exterior black facade contrasts with the luminous interiors, which are dominated by a light colour palette.
At the heart of the building is a glazed atrium that visually ties the different spaces together. Functioning as a shared courtyard that brings together employees under one roof, shared workspaces and common gardens further encourage dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experiences across the company’s different departments.
Another distinct feature of the factory is the visitor centre. Upon entering the facility, guests can experience Polestar’s ‘visitor loop,’ a mezzanine-level circuit offering views of the whole factory, the different departments and ongoing exhibitions. The visitor loop is intended for customers, companies and students looking to learn more about Polestar.
In the production area, large windows have been installed to open up to views of the surrounding greenery and maximize daylight. Meeting spaces are created on both the inside and outside of the building to encourage social engagement across disciplines.
The production facility includes a customer experience centre, staffed by product experts, as well as a customer test track, designed by Snøhetta in collaboration with engineers from Volvo. The track allows potential customers to evaluate cars to extremes not possible on public roads.
