ana coelho adds elevated concrete volume to host office spaces in portuguese factory

achitect ana coelho rehabilitated the existing FACOL industrial building and added a contemporary new office building on the south facade of the volume. the previous abandoned and obsolete pavilion was turned into a textile dyeing facility in serzedelo, guimaraes in portugal. the added concrete box contrasts against the dark gray factory, drawing attention to the newest office spaces.

coelho’s new concrete volume is detached from the existing building and separated by a vertical garden, isolating any disturbance from the factory. all the administrative functions will take place in the new addition, elevated above ground and framing the view. the box features an open facade, clad partially in sliding glass doors, offset from the edge giving space for a balcony with a clean, frameless glass balustrade.

one of the box’s sides is supported by a natural garden slope, whereas the other one is suspended, thus allowing to create an outdoors parking lot under the building. this enables easy access to both the offices and the factory, and connects them through the central circulation shell.

the interior spaces are organized around a central entry hall, which connects across to the factory volume. the hall also links the spaces vertically, bringing down circulation to the ground floor. all the offices are oriented towards the south, profiting from controlled sunlight exposure and views to the surrounding landscape. the interior design was conceived as a natural extension of the architecture, maximizing the outcome with a minimum of resources, bringing the new spaces an open and light atmosphere, ideal for factory offices. 

project info:

project name: extension of the industrial building

location: serzedelo, guimaraes

architecture: ana coelho

construction: telhabel construcoes SA

engeneering: pn10, servicos de egenharia

photography: joao morgado