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Inmos Microprocessor Factory (1980)

It is the first really challenging building in the 1980s. The first challenge was to complete the project in a year; because of an ongoing boom in the microchip industry. The second challenge was to design a factory for both highly precise and sterilised microchip manufacture and a lively place for workers simultaneously. The structural system was the main challenge; they wanted to avoid seeing the columns inside. The solution was brilliant: to use masts higher than the roof level as towers and to make the roof stay on the masts by tension elements (cables) (Figure 1). 


Figure 1. Mast towers and tension rods


It allowed the designer to separate the socialising and microchip manufacturing zones. The masts serve a dual role: supporting the roof with tension rods and supporting the service equipment (Figure 2). 


Figure 2. Equipment inside the mast towers


The structural system actually consists of a spine, a rigid frame with tall masts, and extensions (Figure 3). The spine is 7.2m wide and goes all the building long (106m). The wings are 13x36m (Figure 4). The roof decking was 6m long steel. 


Figure 3. The main structural system

Figure 4. Example of one unit

Thanks to the tension rods, the extensions became column-free. But the tension rods also challenged the designers since, in sum, there are many of them, and it required a particular solution (Figure 5). 


Figure 5. Connection detail

Prepared by Ege Tasatan. Edited by Omer Karadag. 

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