By Designing for Efficiency and Flexibility
The SIOM Building, designed by SML Arquitectos, serves as a factory for manufacturing products for the mining industry alongside a corporate structure. The design approach revolved around three primary objectives: flexibility for modifications and expansions, utilization of a rapid construction system, and alignment with the company’s standards and the mining sector’s essence in material choice.
Structural Composition
The architectural response to these objectives materialized in a complex comprising three expansive production bays behind a four-story main building. The main building adopts a regular grid structure, employing prefabricated concrete columns and beams. This grid layout serves as the foundation for various spaces, meticulously organized within this structural framework while maintaining a sense of tension inherent in the Cartesian order.
Embracing Structural Aesthetics
Rather than concealing the prefabricated system’s geometric characteristics, the design decision was made to expose the main structural elements, including columns, beams, scaffolding, and concrete knots. This approach not only respects the system’s inherent plasticity but also generates intermediate spaces, leading to the creation of exterior terraces and multi-height open areas.
Future-Ready Expansion
The interstices formed within the layout and structure offer opportunities for future expansion, always governed by the concrete grid, thus preserving the project’s original coherence. The utilization of glass, wood, Corten steel, and copper as primary materials complements the exposed concrete structure, creating transparent and inviting spaces while paying homage to the mining industry’s raw materials.
Narrative Through Architecture
Through its design language and material palette, the SIOM Building narrates the story of the company and its connection to the mining sector. The integration of functional efficiency with aesthetic appeal not only reflects the company’s ethos but also ensures a conducive environment for those working within its premises.
