Despite its imminent £24bn takeover by Japan’s Softbank, UK microchip manufacturer ARM Holdings is pressing ahead with plans to expand its Cambridge headquarters.
Above: The new offices
Kier has been awarded a £48m contract to add 18,000 m2 of office space and two multi-storey car parks on the ARM campus at Peterhouse Technology Park in Fulbourn.
Ready for occupation in autumn 2017, the scheme will enable ARM to increase its headcount in Cambridge to 3,000 people and double its UK headcount over the next five years. The expansion is fully supported by Softbank, whose takeover offer ARM has recommended shareholders to accept.
The new office building will be constructed using a steel frame and curtain walling with bespoke vertical aluminium Brise Soleil solar shading, which will form a six-metre high saw tooth pattern.
Kier Construction Eastern managing director Mark Dady said: “We’re pleased to have been awarded the contract to develop ARM’s global headquarters. We have a strong track record in delivering office space across the UK and are looking forward to providing a facility that will help ARM to continue expanding.
“This development will give a real boost to the local economy and employment opportunities. At Kier, we recently expanded our Cambridge offices and it’s great to see ARM invest in their offices in the city too, which further demonstrates Cambridge’s status as a hub for global companies.”
Mike Muller, chief technology officer and co-founder of ARM, said: “We are making a significant investment at our headquarters in Cambridge to help us deliver the next phase of company growth and Kier is a valuable partner in delivering our new centrepiece building.”
“The expanded Cambridge campus will house many of the ARM engineers designing next generation processors and software that will power silicon chips supporting the rise of smart cities, for consumer devices and the communications network. There are 86 billion ARM®-based silicon chips in the world and that number is growing as the built environment, transportation, homes and offices become increasingly connected.”
Kier is also currently building a £79m laboratory for the University of Cambridge on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
This article was published on 25 Aug 2016 (last updated on 25 Aug 2016).
