Microbiological Laboratory | Penelas Architects

Microbiological Laboratory by Penelas Abstracting is based on reinforced concrete and steel, representing its elegant structure. This design allows for a generous space and an open atmosphere, which are key to the day-to-day routines of the lab. The building is equipped with modern equipment optimized for microbiological and chemical analyses; its interior design is that of a post-industrial space with a sleek, contemporary look suggesting an atmosphere of awesomeness and innovation.

Fusion of tradition and innovation of the industrial landscape in the Microbiological Laboratory:

An innovative perforated Microbiological Laboratory’s façade is used to promote its environment by taking in industrial air in its neighborhood, and its use for creating a unique internal environment is also elucidated. It is a personal and emotional project through which the design draws inspiration from high-speed train technology and the geometrical patterns discovered in historic landmarks such as the Salón de Embajadores dome and the Reales Alcázares de Sevilla to combine the elements of modern days with the traditional forms.

It is eminent in acknowledging a melange of composite, double-sided aluminum, and perforated materials that either facade the building in the main grid structure or not. This holistic approach makes the city look both slim and harmonized and emphasizes technology and heritage unity.

Microbiological Laboratory’s design provides sunlight protection by including an original shading system. It sounds as if they are employing a sliding system design, which is present within a double-layered veil. A facade itself has two components, one of which is a glass layer and an aluminum layer that we put together and then cover with perforations made with advanced parametric-computational technologies.

Microbiological Laboratory’s Design Concept:

An airflow in the form of a chimney is created between these layers of different orientations. Open to the north; the facade has these big holes; to the west, it is more solid, and the holes are smaller, then towards the east, it has some variable perforations, these allow the morning light in, and to the south, where the utilities are, it’s almost closed off there. The outside cover highlights a unique design element that takes incoming light through the perforations and makes the inside of the building warm, pleasant, and cozy. The workrooms inside Microbiological Laboratory are enclosed by an inner glass structure that was built purposefully.

The planned interior design to Microbiological Laboratory has different zones that go deep inside each other, generating a dynamic spatial layout through the combination of various areas and volumes. This new stage vitalizes the entire scene rather than being just a part of it. The epicenter of this elusiveness could arguably be a mesmerizing central staircase sculpture that is not only a structural element but also becomes an addition of natural light through the skylights located above. These skylights, directed towards the sun’s rays, throw intricate plots of light as well as shadows onto the clear glass surfaces. In this beautiful, still, and quiet environment, one can feel at home when both working and relaxing.

A broad ramp bridge crosses the courtyard, enabling a passage to the upper floor from the street area. Microbiological Laboratory may appear to transcend the law of gravity as it rises, simply supported by a substantial cantilever generating an otherworldly space full of clouds and sky, just like traditional architecture in the Arab world where sky and nature come together. Not only does using concrete, steel, glass, and aluminum materials make construction environment-friendly because of their recyclable material usage, but they also remind us of the essence of the design concept of this building.

Project Info:
Architects: Penelas Architects
Area: 2000 m²
Photographs: Imagen Subliminal (Miguel de Guzmán + Rocío Romero)
Architect in Charge: José Luis Esteban Penelas, Director and Founder
Collaborators: Yolanda Hernández Lorente, María Esteban Casañas, Antonio Guijarro, Marina Rodríguez Sotoca, Kevin Román Cruz, Yakaterina Savina.
Technical Architect: Antonio Atienza Ramírez
Client: Grupo Biomaster
MEP: BDEV Baroja, Estévez, del Valle, Arquitectos
Construction: BDEV Baroja, Estévez, del Valle, Arquitectos Empresas constructoras: ETOSA – ELVAL COLOUR – DARDO
City: Alcalá de Guadaíra
Country: Spain