Perto is a leading Brazilian Multinational Corporation, one of the world's largest ATM manufacturers. When Perto decided to build its first factory in India, the company wanted to create a solid architectural statement. Following the client brief, the aim was to develop an industrial architecture that elevates the architectural quality to an attractive ensemble of built forms rather than unimaginative industrial boxes. For a project that relies heavily on ergonomics and functionality, a band of exposed bricks on the lower edge of the building was laid, similar to the company's Headquarters in Gravatai, Brazil. Although the project is an industrial facility, aesthetics and the functionality were given equal weightage in the design.
Perto is India's first project, which is entirely galvanised rather than painted. Galvanising the building complex establishes a uniformity in the finish of the design throughout the site whilst also protecting the steel from rusting, considering the extreme weather conditions at the site. The project is steel-intensive, with the material being used to the best of its testing abilities. It uses steel members laid out in a 20X10 metre grid with a hung load of 100kg/sq. m. It is fabricated with double profile troughed pre-coated sheeting with a total coated thickness of 0.5mm. The structures in the Perto facility are Pre Engineered Buildings (PEB) that use built-up sections instead of rolled sections for added strength. The bold red-tinted roof of the docking yard clad in ACP (Aluminium composite panel) was used to break the monotony of the otherwise disciplined architecture of the project.
The design fuses elements like pergolas, rhythmically arranged slender columns, and carefully placed and intimately sized courtyards, which create a play of light and shadow. These features are implemented in response to Jaipur's hot and dry desert climate. They also act as buffer areas providing breathing spaces between the steel buildings. The prismatic roof lights ensure the facilities have access to diffused natural daylight at all times. In addition, all buildings have forced draft ventilation to ensure adequate air circulation.
The building's simplicity and grace define the design, using low maintenance, sleek finishes, bold, contrasting colours and a functional cubic form. Steel's versatility, ease of use, durability and appealing look make it a popular building material, making it an ideal fit for the project. Not only is it an elegant material, but its tensile strength and long life make it the go-to option for any industrial venture requiring such long spans.
With bold lines and a confident colour palette, Perto Industrial Facility is a testimony to smart and sustainable architecture for industrial design.
