Vers une Industrie Légère | 2018

Once upon a time, there was a small company whose activity was related to wood and furniture. They needed a place to work and selected a privileged plot of land in a forest on the slope of a small mountain. Step by step, the company’s industrial complex was built. The construction gave careful consideration to the natural landscape and context: just a few white buildings surrounded by trees. As the neighboring plots were developed, soon there were no longer any trees or forest and the landscape quickly changed. As it expanded, it became time for the woodworking company to have a new building – complete with areas to showcase its unique products to its clients. Now surrounded by industrial areas, and grey concrete boxes, the company wanted to stand unique and dissociate itself from the adjoining factories and companies.
The result was Vers une Industrie Légère, a manifesto, as a new way of understanding industrial environments. Located in Barro, Spain, Vers une Industrie Légère is more than a factory building, it is a place where clients and workers can enjoy the industrial process and a statement that industry does not need to only exist in vast areas full of concrete. A green area was added to the plot of land. Functioning as a small lung of fresh air for the industrial park, it is a garden that all the workers from the area can enjoy, whilst clients or factory workers can take a nap or rest a bit outside. The façade was made by the workers themselves, thereby strengthening the relationship between the building and its inhabitants. Each façade panel was carefully brought to the new building.
As each panel left the last factory, the workers watched, in a process that was almost like watching loaves of bread leave the oven in a bakery. One by one, they were attached to the new building by two workers, father and son, who together completed the puzzle of the facade.
Designed to contrast with the previous white buildings the façade panels were made in dark grey color, which along with the gabled roof achieve a monolithic appearance. This further contrasts its own interior – the grey exterior played against the large, open space of the interior. The windows open to the north, providing continuous interior light that does not change too much during working hours. The aim was to reduce the use of artificial lightning, and instead take advantage of the natural light.
Vers une Industrie Légère is a place where industry, environment, and people can coexist in harmony whilst valuing the surrounding landscape and nature.

Location:SpainArchitect: María Teresa Sánchez TáboasArchitecture Office:María Teresa Sánchez TáboasLead Architects:María Teresa Sánchez TáboasAssociate Architects:Josep Ramón Solé, Andrés Suárez Outeda, Claire AfarianContractor:Fontexil Construcciones y Promociones S.L.Client: Pomasa S.A.Photographer: Luis Díaz Díaz