The new PRF Gas Solutions headquarters, designed by Impare Arquitectura, is spread over three levels. The ground floor houses the large warehouse—directly linked to logistical and operational needs—and an area dedicated to automation. The upper floor contains the administrative offices, organized around a spacious open-plan workspace with approximately 40 workstations, meeting rooms, a small cafeteria, secretarial services, and the executive office.
The upper floors of both buildings are interconnected by an enclosed gallery and an exterior walkway comprised of a continuous balcony and a raised platform. The interior incorporates pieces of recognized cultural and international value that reinforce the contemporary identity, such as the Serralves sofa by Álvaro Siza Vieira, elements by Minotti, and the Catifa 46 chair by Arper.
New PRF headquarters building by Impare Arquitectura. Photograph by Ivo Tavares Studio.
Project description by Impare Arquitectura
The new building for the headquarters of PRF Gas Solutions, S.A. arises from the need to expand administrative, storage, and workshop areas, keeping pace with the company’s sustained growth and the evolution of its organizational structure. It is an entity linked to the industrial and technological sector, whose operations combine both operational and administrative components that require distinct yet coherently and efficiently integrated spaces.
The intervention aims to address this need for expansion without compromising the functional and volumetric continuity of the existing complex. The new volume is aligned with the current building and parallel to the main street, consolidating the built frontage and ensuring a unified reading of the ensemble. The adopted strategy prioritizes organizational clarity and the articulation between functions, reinforcing the company’s institutional identity.
The program is rationally distributed across different levels. On the lower level, below street level, the large warehouse is located, directly linked to logistical and operational needs. This floor also includes an area dedicated to automation, reflecting the technological aspect of the company’s activities. The upper floor houses the administrative services, organized around a spacious common work area.
This main area, with approximately 40 desk positions, forms the core of the administrative space. In addition to the workstations, the floor includes meeting rooms, a small cafeteria, secretarial services, and the management office. The spatial organization also incorporates informal meeting spaces and soundproof booths, promoting a dynamic and flexible use of the workplace, adapted to contemporary demands for both collaborative work and individual concentration.
A defining element of the project is the double-height space, which connects the entrance floor with the upper level, reinforcing spatial and visual continuity with the existing building. This area plays a central role in the internal articulation, contributing to the permeability and fluidity of the overall complex.
The upper floors of the two buildings are interconnected by an enclosed gallery and an external pathway composed of a continuous balcony and an elevated platform. This solution not only ensures smooth circulation between the volumes but also provides clear functional integration between the different sectors of the company.
The project stands out for the way it combines expansion and continuity, integrating industrial and administrative functions into a coherent, functional system adapted to the current needs of PRF Gas Solutions, S.A., ensuring operational efficiency and spatial quality.
The project also incorporates design pieces of recognized cultural and international value, such as the Serralves Sofa by Álvaro Siza Vieira, as well as elements from Minotti (designs by Rodolfo Dordoni and Marcio Kogan) and the Catifa 46 chair by Arper, reinforcing the contemporary identity of the interior spaces.
