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1st Prize

BASF Awards 2013

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95% prefabricated!

 

Chemist’s sales’ model has been changing recently, parallel to rules and regulations. Besides the health service of the chemist, concepts such as “added value”, “competence” and “visualization” start appearing on the business speech. This 2-storey 180 m2 refurbishment was made in just two months; this was especially difficult because during the first month we were asked to combine sales and building work. This became the main complexity of the building process and the project decisions. Therefore, prefabricating the maximum number of elements was a necessary starting point.

 

The entire building seems to lean on a 3d façade, shaped with the text “FARMACIA”, making up a double height shop window. This element marks not only the use and identity of the chemist’s, but also provides the necessary solar protection, since the main façade faces west. The sign, that lights up at night, is only understandable from a certain distance, getting into abstract volumes when approaching to it.

 

Inside, behind the sign, a green metallic slat cladding descends from the ceiling through the back wall down to the floor, joining to the same colour epoxy-resin pavement, all together working as a background for the sales furniture: self-illuminated glossy-white tubular elements in five levels, that seem to float and divide the space into different areas. These pieces also make up a rotating desk, a seat, a pulpit…and finally provide the necessary space to show the products. A new scene for a new sales’ model.

 

In order to keep the strict deadline, the façade and all the furniture were prefabricated in workshop. The slat cladding was also another very quick-to-build industrial solution. In total this supposed 95% of the work, what enabled to finish in time and with a 0% budget deviation. Demonstrated.

 

The slat cladding hides a little office, the air conditioning machines and, on the other side, behind the desk, a glass sliding door leads to the laboratory, a toilet and a mezzanine that works as a robotized medicines warehouse. The lighting system consists of energy-efficient continuous led strips on the singular furniture, reinforced by little spots where necessary.

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Only two colours have been used: “chemist’s green” on the floor and the ceiling and “hygiene white” on the furniture.

 

The chemist’s is situated in a humble neighborhood. Some colleagues tell us: “It’s a pity that is not in the downtown!”. However, we are glad it is at that very place; neighbors already identifying themselves with their new urban icon.

 

Architecture for everyone!

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Design Credits:

Architecture and interior design by CLAVEL ARQUITECTOS

Partners in Charge: Manuel Clavel Rojo / Luis Clavel Sainz

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Team: Robin Harloff, Mauricio Méndez Bustos, David Hernández Conesa
 

Photography: David Frutos (BISimages)

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