Renault F1 Team Computational Fluid Dynamics CentreRenault F1 Team's state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics Facility ("CFD") is used to simulate aerodynamic performance of cars and their components. Ridge has been involved with the Enstone site since the construction of the main building for Benetton in 1991 and has been involved in all the subsequent site developments. The last major undertaking being the design and management of the wind tunnel facility in 1996. The site is an SSSI in the Cotswolds; any scheme here is subject to tight planning restrictions. In order to adapt to the location both aesthetically and environmentally, Ridge designed the facility to be built underground and engineered a landscape scheme to minimise the impact. 14,000m³ of soil was excavated; redistribution of the waste on site was designed and planned to spare the local villages the traffic of an estimated 1700 loads of 8-wheel HGV's. West Oxfordshire District Council was supportive of these solutions and the Committee unanimously voted the scheme through planning without any deferment. The subterranean building is a very simple structure and makes use of a matiére arch structure - pre-cast tunnel technology which Ridge has adapted for the purpose. It is an extremely efficient engineering solution, as building underground takes advantage of the stable ground temperature which means that it requires less energy to heat or cool. Accommodation within the new 65x17m centre comprises the following:
The project won the 2008 Concrete Performance Award, from the Concrete Society.
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