Architecture is a discipline universally recognized for its importance, as it plays a fundamental role in people’s lives. Whether you live, work, do business or hold events, everyone needs well-designed spaces. Guaranteeing quality architecture is essential to ensure the integrity and functionality of these sites.
In this context, the architect’s role goes beyond simply ensuring the physical structure of projects. They play a crucial role in all stages, such as:
- Aesthetic design
- Project details
- Material selection
- Construction supervision
Architects are professionals with the power to impact people’s lives, transforming spaces and influencing behaviour.
In this article, we’ll explore three notable architectural projects that incorporated the use of Viroc panels in their construction. The projects were designed by renowned architectural teams. They highlight the importance of the architect in creating high-quality, aesthetically distinctive, functional and sustainable architecture, playing a fundamental role in society.
Mr David Brownlow Theater / Mr Jonathan Tuckey Design
Mr Jonathan Tuckey Design designed and built a new theatre in a school in the South East of England. Committed to “building on the built”, the firm transformed a former parking lot with no character into an essential living space for the school environment.
The theatre, whose design was the result of a competition, was designed to house the school assemblies, music recitals and theatrical productions. It is made up of three unique spaces, providing an accessible experience on all sides.
The intelligent use of natural materials, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) and Viroc panels, has not only resulted in harmonious aesthetics. The choice of materials allowed for a sustainable construction that produced 40 tons less CO2 compared to traditional methods.
The theatre builds on its surroundings by being consciously distinct in materiality and structure. The warm red tone of the Viroc panels roots the theatre among the earthy bricks of the neighbouring Victorian buildings and more recent additions.
The design is innovative in its use and articulation of sheet materials and flat surfaces. Viroc has been machine-cut to reduce waste and assembled by hand as a joinery object. The interior floor is in polished black Viroc, cut in a pattern that references the ornate stone floors of Renaissance churches.
Mr David Brownlow Theater / Mr Jonathan Tuckey Design
Library of Sant Martí Sarroca / Valor-Llimós architecture
Located within the Park de la Pau in Spain, the library designed by Valor-Llimós architecture is more than just a building. It has become an elevated viewpoint that visually connects all the inhabited areas of the municipality.
The building consists of a first floor volume, half-underground to the north and open to the south, adapting to the existing slope.
The landscaped roof forms a large overhang in the southwest corner that greets pedestrians and escorts them into the building. It recovers the park that the building will occupy and becomes an elevated viewpoint. From the viewpoint, you can see the inhabited areas of the town, from the growth to the north to the historic castle complex to the south, passing through the old quarter.
With “A” energy certification and sustainable strategies such as a green roof and photovoltaic panels, the library is an example of energy efficiency. The use of grey Viroc on the facades not only contributes to energy efficiency, but also blends in perfectly with the park’s environment.
Library of Sant Martí Sarroca / Valor-Llimós architecture
Maison826 / Nuno Ferreira Cover
Maison826, located in Braga, Portugal, is a project that has transformed a closed space into a hairdressing salon, cultural space and concept store. The project embraces the “unfinished” aesthetic, preserving concrete structural elements and creating unique spatial relationships.
Divided into four levels that are open to each other, the concept allowed for the preservation of existing materials, concrete pillars and beams, as well as the unfinished wall solutions that define the intervention. In each space, a long opaque curtain sets boundaries, allowing it to be closed, transforming the space. This highly flexible element helps to define other spatial identities and luminosities according to the intended use. Cladding the façades and interior walls with grey Viroc gave them a modern and durable appearance, in keeping with the rusticity of the environment.
Maison826 / Nuno Ferreira Cover
These projects are striking examples of how architecture can be a harmonious marriage between creativity and functionality. They highlight the role of architects in creating spaces that not only meet practical needs, but also enrich the human experience and the environment around us.
Discover more projects by Viroc, which are a benchmark for quality and efficiency.
