Bosch

Research and Development Center, Robert Bosch LLC

Plymouth Township, MI

Prototype Development Center, Robert Bosch Corporation (USA)

Technology meets nature.

A sophisticated development center makes the most of its natural setting.

Centralizing talent and technology.

Robert Bosch, LLC realized their existing Research and Development North America headquarters site in Farmington Hills would not have capacity to expand their research capabilities in the automotive electronics and chassis systems market. The development of the Plymouth Township Research and Development Center allowed Bosch to consolidate research operations located in lease buildings throughout metro Detroit under one roof and create a dynamic, collaborative work space that also has the amenities to attract and retain top-tier talent and enhance the well-being of its workforce.

HED provided Bosch a facility concept that allows expansion in multiple phases to accommodate growth in research and development activities on the campus as Bosch continues to expand its presence in the US automotive marketplace.

The surrounding wooded preserves and wetlands provide a visual and auditory buffer from a nearby residential district; unpopulated high-bay testing labs are positioned along the freeway to filter residential noise.

Site is being developed in multiple phases. Two phases are completed providing approximately 500,000 square feet of office and research space. Future phases can bring total square footage to over one million at completion.

Developed as a grouping of distinct structures customized to meet specific space and programmatic needs, the design allows each department to function—and grow—independently.

Energy-efficient and sustainable design strategies—including rain gardens, a DC microgrid, high-efficiency lighting, and photovoltaic solar panels—underscore Bosch’s commitment to sustainability and take full advantage of its 76-acre site.

The second phase of the campus expansion completed in 2016 provided an additional 220,500 square feet of office and R&D space increasing the number of Bosch associates on the campus to over 1,400.

To accommodate future growth, western exterior walls can be opened to create an additional 50,000 square feet in each building.

A wide, two-story skylit walkway acts as a connective spine throughout the Center, connecting administrative, office, laboratory and testing spaces and promoting engagement, interaction and collaboration between departments.

With the Center’s opening, Bosch now has a central powerhouse that embodies its signature innovation—one that can flexibly adapt to present needs, evolve to meet future ones and expand Bosch’s capabilities in key target markets.