igus Phase 8
Phase 8 is the latest addition to a campus Bryden Wood has been designing since the 1990s – 20,000 m² of column-free manufacturing space that continues the architectural language Nicholas Grimshaw began.
Bryden Wood provided integrated design services across all works stages of Phase 8 – delivering two column-free production halls supported by 17 external steel pylons, a roofscape of 136 glass-reinforced plastic roofdomes, and a large photovoltaic array across the roof. The facility was completed in 2025 on a site across the road from the original igus factory, which Bryden Wood has expanded across seven previous phases since the 1990s.
Project details:
-
-
-
igus produces high-tech plastic products that require rapid expansion and constant modification of the building fabric. The 17 external steel pylons that support the Phase 8 roof create an almost entirely column-free interior – maximising operational flexibility across the production floor and allowing igus to reconfigure the space as the business evolves.
136 GRP roofdomes bring diffuse northern light deep into the production areas throughout the day, reducing reliance on artificial lighting. A large photovoltaic array across the roof enables the facility to generate a significant portion of its own operational energy.
igus Phase 8 comprises two production halls on a site across the road from igus's main factory – a building designed by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw in the 1990s and expanded through Phases 1–7 by Bryden Wood. Phase 8 was completed in 2025 with Bryden Wood providing integrated design services across all works stages. The design references the architectural philosophy of the existing campus while adapting to the constraints of the new site and the requirements of current building regulations.
The roof structure is the defining architectural move – suspended from 17 external steel pylons positioned outboard along both sides of the building, creating an almost entirely column-free production interior. The pylons continue the visual language of the original Grimshaw building, where the yellow steel masts have become part of igus's brand identity.
The roofscape across Phase 8 is articulated with 136 glass-reinforced plastic domes, continuing the campus's distinctive character. These domes bring diffuse northern light deep into the production areas throughout the day – creating a well-lit, high-quality working environment without reliance on artificial lighting. A large photovoltaic array installed across the roof enables the facility to generate a significant portion of its own operational energy.
Within the production facility, a two-storey ancillary installation houses office areas, meeting rooms, and a canteen. Extensive glazing throughout these spaces provides uninterrupted views across the igus campus – maintaining the visual connection between working areas and the wider site that has characterised the campus since its earliest phases.
The Igus Courtyard Café was shortlisted for the AJ Small Projects award in 2023.
Most buildings are finished when they are built. The igus campus has been under constant, phased development for thirty years – and Phase 8 is the proof that the approach still works.
