bright orange coating outlines this steel warehouse in morelia, mexico

‘FM warehouse’ by Emilio Alvarez Abouchard

Architect Emilio Alvarez Abouchard has completed the ‘FM Warehouse’ in Morelia, Mexico, as a naturally-lit industrial facility with bright orange coating. The structure sits adjacent to an existing steel foundry meant to grow in space, and can be accessed from the site’s north and south streets.

Since the south access is an important commercial corridor for the city, Abouchard decided to place the warehouse northwards and leave room for another building to face the main street. He also carved out an open-air west lane to create some distance from neighboring properties and a north-south lane, made of concrete cobblestone, for rainwater drainage. 

two-part layout, rhythmic design, and vivid orange outlines

The ‘FM Warehouse’ is designed as a two-part volume with steel IPR beam columns and Boyd beam ceilings. The structural system repeats itself six times and every six meters, creating a sober and rhythmic design that fits the industrial context. 

Alvarez Abouchard (see more here) divided the first section into two levels using a corrugated steel floor decking; it holds a parking lot on the first floor and offices on the second. The next section is a double-height space dedicated to working and storage; if needed, this 6-meter-long area can expand further to the south side. 

‘Very few materials were needed to arrange this space; we used the same metal panels for walls and ceilings. We also chose the corporative orange color to cover the whole building to praise the material that the foundry works with, its identity, and its 40+ years of work,’ shares the architect. 

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project info:

name: FM Warehouse

location: Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
architecture: Emilio Alvarez Abouchard Arquitectura

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edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom