TECHNAL Lights up Silverstone

Designed by award-winning architecture practice Cube Design, the Silverstone Experience is a 4000m² motorsport exhibition located at the world famous Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire. The £20 million Silverstone Experience building, built with a contribution from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, consists of a fully refurbished WWII aircraft hangar and a new two storey extension, which serves as the entrance to the exhibition. The hangar, which is an important part of Silverstone’s heritage as a former Royal Air Force base, is the only one remaining on the site and one of only two such examples in the UK.

"The aim with the design of the Silverstone Experience was to create an iconic building that would provide an impressive statement at the entrance to the circuit. To enhance visitor experience, the exhibition area within the hangar was designed as a 'black box' to remove external influences. We wanted the extension area entrance to be a contrast to this with natural light and views out across the famous track.

The curtain walling was a key part of the design. We had worked with TECHNAL on a number of projects before and so we were confident that the products could deliver what we needed. The large expanses of glass at the front and rear of the building provided an excellent contrast to the finish and materials of the rainscreen cladding that dominates the exterior of the building."

Jane Locksmith, Managing Director at Cube Design

Thermally broken to meet weather demands

Alongside the TECHNAL curtain walling, doors and windows, the Silverstone Experience building features a combination of opaque polycarbonate rainscreen cladding and an iridescent aluminium cladding that has green and pink tones depending on the light. 

The exposed locations of the Silverstone Experience meant that airtightness and thermal effiency were also important design considerations. The TECHNAL aluminium curtain walling system features a thermally broken construction and high levels of wind and weather resistance.

Collaborative work for a successful project

Commercial glazing contractor QG Architectural Aluminium Specialists carried out the design, fabrication and installation of the glazing systems. QG specialises in TECHNAL products and has worked alongside TECHNAL on projects for over 30 years. For the Silverstone Experience, TECHNAL provided full technical and product support throughout from initial specification to installation.

"The design intention with the glazing was to create a wall of glass with minimal interruptions to maximise the views of Silverstone. The Elegance 52 curtain walling allowed us to use large panel sizes of up to 2.8m high and 2m wide without addition steelwork that would have detracted from the intended design and added to the cost. This combined with the slimline profile of the system meant we could achieve exactly what was required.

Due to the nature of the building and location close to the circuit, the goal with the acoustics was to achieve a balance of reducing the sound from the track so that it didn't become distracting without completely eliminating it. We could achieve this using the TECHNAL system without the need for acoustic glass"

Jake Brown, Project Manager at QG Architectural Aluminium Specialists

"The Silverstone Experience building is an iconic addition to the landscape of the circuit and a testament to the skills and expertise of everyone involved. We are proud to have contributed to the creation of this exhibition centre, which will be enjoyed by visitors for years to come."

Dean Sherwood, Project Consultant at TECHNAL UK