Description

The site of Industria Forestal Centromaderas (Association for Forestry) is situated at the Pan­american Road which crosses Chile from north to south. It comprises production plants, storage areas and offices for the Chilean forestry company which attends to the growing, cultivation and cutting of Radiata pine forests. Wood processing – one of the base industries of Chile – is also a section of this business. The company’s building is constructed exclusively of this type of timber and strives to make dramatic architectural use of it. The arched laminated timber columns and girders that carry the large roof express the flexible and elastic properties of this type of wood, which is a very suitable building material in a country threatened by earthquakes.

The areas of production, storage and administration are arranged adjacent to each other. To the north, the two-storey high administration wing is prominent. Seen from the highway, the dynamic profile of the building unifies the whole complex. The curved silhouette of the roof, which rises outwards, was chosen to vent the hall. Additionally, rainwater is collected in the center of the roof, preventing drainage via the roof wings and a flooding of the pedestrian areas. Light enters the building from above and the sides through timber lattices, which dampen and slightly tint the light.

The two-storey office wing housing all secondary spaces is to be found at the northern side of the hall. Both areas are covered by one roof and benefit from the shade it provides and the strong air draft escaping through the timber lattices in the roof. The main offices are located on the upper floor. From here, views of the surrounding landscape and the interior of the hall complex and its production facilities are offered. These offices are accessed via a long entrance ramp.

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Originally published in: Jürgen Adam, Katharina Hausmann, Frank Jüttner, Industrial Buildings: A Design Manual, Birkhäuser, 2004.