Jaguar Land Rover - 4th FloorStage 3+ Design for a Workplace and Engineering Facility
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Category
Interior Design, Architecture, Global Guidelines
Location
India
Type
Workplace. Laboratories & Engineering, Workplace Strategy, Global Guidelines
Crux was appointed to support Jaguar Land Rover with the development of a new workplace and laboratory environment in Bangalore during a period of exceptional organisational growth. As the first major phase of a wider India programme, the project carried strategic importance beyond a single floor, setting expectations for design quality, delivery approach, and collaboration between global and local teams.
The role required not only interpretation of global standards, but deep understanding of how JLR engineers and technical teams operate in practice across different geographies.
What began as appointment to design a 68,000 sq. ft floor plate and specialist laboratory has since evolved into a multi-year transformation — now approaching 400,000 sq. ft of cutting-edge workspace and technical facilities.
JLR’s Bangalore operation expanded from a small satellite team into a major engineering and technology hub in a very short period. Growth far exceeded original projections, placing pressure on space, infrastructure, and leadership decision making.
To ensure the Bangalore workplace was genuinely fit for purpose, Crux undertook a broader programme of engagement beyond the immediate project. This included interviews with teams in Manchester, Budapest, and Shannon, alongside visits to the Ireland campus to observe how engineers worked day to day.
These engagements focused on understanding workflows, equipment requirements, laboratory adjacencies, vehicle movement within workshops, and the practical realities of engineering environments. The aim was to capture lessons from mature sites and apply them intelligently to a rapidly scaling new location.
“Designing for growth, trust, and two time zones.”
— Heather Saunders, Founder | Principle
Key Features
First phase workplace establishing standards for future JLR projects in India
Applied learning from interviews and site engagement across multiple global locations
Translation of global workplace and laboratory principles into a locally relevant environment
Strategic support during rapid growth from a small team to a major engineering hub
Trusted intermediary role between UK property teams and Indian leadership
Foundation for improved delivery and procurement practices across future phases
JLR’s Bangalore operation expanded from a small satellite team into a major engineering and technology hub in a very short period. Growth far exceeded original projections, placing pressure on space, infrastructure, and leadership decision making.
To ensure the Bangalore workplace was genuinely fit for purpose, Crux undertook a broader programme of engagement beyond the immediate project. This included interviews with teams in Manchester, Budapest, and Shannon, alongside visits to the Ireland campus to observe how engineers worked day to day.
These engagements focused on understanding workflows, equipment requirements, laboratory adjacencies, vehicle movement within workshops, and the practical realities of engineering environments. The aim was to capture lessons from mature sites and apply them intelligently to a rapidly scaling new location.
“Procurement can make or break a project. We made sure it didn’t..”
— Heather Saunders, Founder | Principle
Crux combined workplace analysis with direct observation and stakeholder engagement. Insights from interviews and site visits informed decisions around spatial planning, laboratory configuration, circulation, storage, and support spaces.
Rather than relying solely on written standards, Crux tested global principles against real world behaviour. This allowed global guidelines around occupancy, desk standards, and laboratory planning to be applied with greater nuance and relevance.
Learnings from established sites were adapted to suit the cultural, operational, and delivery context in Bangalore, ensuring the environment supported how engineers actually work rather than how standards assume they work.
The completed 4th floor delivered a balanced and effective workplace that met the needs of both UK and Indian stakeholders while reflecting proven engineering practices from across JLR’s global portfolio.
More importantly, the project established a benchmark for future phases in Bangalore. The applied learning from Manchester, Budapest, Shannon, and Ireland informed not only this space, but the wider approach to laboratory and workplace planning in India.
The project positioned Crux as a trusted strategic partner capable of synthesising global insight into locally successful outcomes.
This project demonstrates Crux’s ability to combine global research, on site observation, and strategic thinking to support complex engineering environments. By learning directly from how teams work across multiple locations, we help clients avoid repeating mistakes and accelerate maturity in new sites.
The earlier Crux is involved, the greater the positive impact we can have on workplace strategy, laboratory planning, and delivery confidence. Early engagement allows insight from across a global portfolio to be applied where it matters most.
At Crux, success is measured not only by what is delivered, but by how effectively knowledge, experience, and trust are transferred across regions to support long term growth.