The space where an Events Center previously operated in the city of Toledo-PR underwent a complete renovation to house the new Administrative Headquarters of Sicredi Progresso. The retrofit process sought to make the most of the building's existing structure and at the same time transform the space to convey the company's identity.
Due to the old use of the building, the cooperative's directors saw the possibility of adding new spaces to the Headquarters. Therefore, in addition to work spaces, the project has auditoriums, training spaces and space for events. With an extensive program of needs, it was necessary to increase the available area, to this end we created volumes of mezzanines made of metal structures, which also helped to break the monotony of the open space.
The project was designed from the inside out. We seek to convey to the location the process of innovation that the financial institution has been going through, with integrated and light environments, in an atmosphere that conveys comfort and creativity. Flexible and dynamic environments are distributed among the fixed workstations, which allow for different configurations and uses, such as informal meeting rooms, bleachers, booths and reading space.
On the upper floor are the boardrooms and a large meeting room, which houses the cooperative's board meetings. These environments have abundant natural lighting which, combined with the more sober tones used, conveys serenity and sophistication.
One of the most outstanding aspects of the project is the auditorium, a dynamic environment that allows different uses and configurations. Its articulated flaps allow it to be divided into two independent environments, or a single auditorium; It is also possible to collapse all partitions, creating a large space for events.
Due to the amplitude and integration of environments, we need to look for material solutions with acoustic absorption properties, which will help to attenuate noise and guarantee acoustic comfort in spaces. On the floor we use acoustic clouds, which are present in the auditorium and the main work space. For the floor we use carpet in the auditorium and vinyl flooring in most areas. In the main work environment where we chose to maintain the existing floor, a vinyl blanket was applied to the paths to attenuate the noise while walking.
The building and its surroundings are located in a context of intense relationship with nature. Located on a plot of land with a conservation area at the bottom and close to a municipal park, the presence of vegetation can be seen on all sides. We took advantage of this factor to design spaces that connected people with nature, so that inside the building they could have the same sensation that abounds.
The main intention of the facade was to simplify the forms; The decorative elements were eliminated and replaced by a large perforated panel, which embraced the entire building and guaranteed the volume unit and a homogeneous appearance. This panel opens at some points using folding doors, ensuring integration between the interior and exterior.
