The Office module by ARN / Arquitectos is conceived as a folded concrete skin that forms the floor, ceiling, and west facade. The east facade, which houses the entrance, is clad in corrugated steel sheets lacquered in blue, the company's signature color.
The spatial configuration allows for a rich and open interior, featuring a system of interspersed courtyards that organize the different areas, allowing natural light to enter and creating cross-views. The southeast-facing facades of these courtyards are glazed, while the northwest-facing facade incorporates a system of aluminum louvers.
Office module by ARN / Arquitectos. Photograph by Oleh Kardash Horlay.
Project description by ARN / Arquitectos
The project addresses the need for a representative office building associated with a group of four existing industrial buildings in an industrial park. The urban planning constraints of the industrial zone and the geometry of the plot resulted in a trapezoidal form.
The building seeks to emphasize its horizontality through a volume that appears to be suspended above the ground, contrasting with the imposing presence of the surrounding buildings. It is conceived as a concrete skin that folds to form the floor, roof, and west facade, protecting it from the harsh sunlight on that side. The opposite facade, facing east, and the entrance are resolved using a corrugated steel sheet cladding lacquered in the blue color of the company's corporate identity.
The building presents itself externally as a compact, closed, and sealed volume, responding to a harsh industrial environment lacking landscape qualities, but with a configuration that allows for a rich and open interior spatiality centered around a system of interior courtyards that organize the different departments and work areas. Functionally, the building is conceived as a comb-like structure, interspersed with rectangular courtyards onto which the open-plan office spaces open, allowing for controlled natural light and creating cross-views that enrich the interior.
The interior facades of these courtyards are materialized in two different ways. Those facing southeast are glazed, allowing natural light to enter the work areas. On the other hand, the northwest facades incorporate a system of vertical aluminum louvers that provide sun protection while allowing for more controlled sunlight.
Blue corrugated metal cladding is used in the interior space to organize the program volumes, contrasting with the natural ash wood furniture. The main corridor is widened and becomes a gathering and meeting place for employees and visitors.
