NACORE Europe. UK - Offices Development - Hants, Farnborough

Date: 28 Nov 2000

Nokia UK Ltd was the site of the latest meeting of the Thames Valley Branch, of NACORE, Europe. UK at the brand new research and development centre in Farnborough, Hants.

NACORE UK member Anne Johnson, Nokia UK's real estate project manager, who has been in charge of the site from the drawing board through development and into operational use, welcomed the 38-strong group. Nokia has been established in the south east for just under 20 years but this centre is a new development, from a greenfield site, which has taken place in two phases over the last four years, the second opening just four weeks prior to NACORE's visit.

"This site", Miss Johnson explained, "is primarily concerned with research and development of products for the future mobile phone global market especially the US and Japan. We therefore had to provide very high specification mechanical and electric installations within the building, and the test centre for our products had to pass extremely tough international requirements.

All three buildings have solid floors - all the normal - underfloor services drop down from the ceiling - and no carpets: instead we have semi conductive rubber sheet flooring - again because of the requirements of the R&D business carried on here."

Miss Johnson explained Nokia's property strategy. This, one of three campus-type core sites in the UK, totals 325,000 sq metres, accommodates 1,400 people in three buildings served by two restaurants, carparks, a gym and sauna. Keith Saunders, of Nokia's R&D Centre discussed technology developments and the effects on planning buildings before the group was given a tour of the facility, particularly the special environments created for product testing.

Where do I go now?: » View the latest news items » View the news archive » Subscribe to Weekly Construction Newsletter » Submit news