Home of TMETC - The Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building - wins regional BCO award

27th October 2020

TMETC's home, The Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building at the University of Warwick, has been recognised as one of the best workplaces in the Midlands and Central England.

The British Council for Offices' (BCO) awarded the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building, at the University of Warwick, with the Innovation award at its regional Festival Awards Week.

Named in honour of Britain's first ever Professor of Manufacturing, the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building houses the National Automotive Innovation Centre; a multimillion-pound centre, founded by WMG, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors.

It is home to TMETC's team of engineering experts and was officially opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in February.

The impressive building supports the global mobility revolution which aims to be a stimulus in the rebirth of an optimistic new age of manufacturing in the Midlands by developing future vehicles and mobility solutions.

Fronted by a dramatic elevation, the 33,000m2 building has been sensitively designed for engineers, designers and academics to work together in, with a variety of spaces allowing for both privacy and collaboration. A timber roof spans the structure of the building, demonstrating the sustainable credentials of a facility that cannot but inspire.

The BCO's Festival Awards Week, recognises the highest quality developments in the UK and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector.

Mark Johnson, Director and Head of TMETC said: "We are very proud to call the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building our home and are delighted that it has been recognised for this award.

"The building provides an inspiring, productive and collaborative environment to support the future of automotive advancements and will help shape future mobility solutions in India."

Executive Chair of WMG, Margot James, comments: "This is excellent news for our partners and the region. The Midlands is the beating heart of automotive in the UK, and the National Automotive Innovation Centre will be the driving force behind future innovation in transport mobility."

James Breckon, Director of Estates comments: "It is great to see this new building being recognised by other professionals and is testament to the wealth of architectural and engineering talent that was brought together to deliver this exemplary sustainable building.

"It brilliantly draws Industry and Academia together providing an inspirational environment to innovative within. As a landmark building it has transformed the campus at the University of Warwick and is a fitting legacy to the late Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya."

Rob van Zyl, Building Services Partner at Cundall and chair of the Midlands & Central England judging panel commented: "This year's entrants demonstrate that agile working has come of age, the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building is no exception. What was initially a move towards cramming more people into less space through 'hotdesking' has now evolved into something that is clearly more focused on the health and wellness of occupiers.

"It is also encouraging to see accelerating trends towards sustainability, efficiencies in energy consumption and the use of natural shapes, materials and plants. All across Britain, the office sector now possesses more knowledge on how to create a healthy and productive office than ever before and is making informed design decisions to an outstanding effect."

Danny Parmar, chairman of the BCO Midlands & East Anglia committee added: "Many congratulations to the University of Warwick. This was one of several outstanding entries in this year's BCO regional awards programme and reflects both the strength of our sector and the increasing demands placed upon it to deliver market-leading work environments."

October 19th marked the 12th year of the BCO Regional Awards dedicated to the Midlands and Central region. Held online, the ceremony was a virtual first for the BCO, but still involved all the usual excitement that makes up the in-person ceremony. Guests were able to network, celebrate with friends and watch a live ceremony, presented by the BBC's former Chief Political Correspondent, John Sergeant to recreate the magic of the traditional awards ceremony.

Winners from the Midlands and Central England will compete with those from other regions at the BCO Virtual National Awards on Tuesday 26 January 2021.