ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
MOTHER EARTH COMPANY
BY MEMOLA ESTUDIO AND VITOR PENHA
The project transforms an old bar in Vila Madalena , in São Paulo , into the headquarters of Mãe Terra , a food company . The objective was to bring together the administrative , innovation and product development areas , as well as spaces for experimenting with food and experiencing the company ’ s work philosophy . remodeling , with the elimination of walls that compartmentalized environments , the removal of coatings , the redesign of vertical flows , the execution of structural reinforcements and a new infrastructure network , and the space under the roof was occupied - also rebuilt .
From the beginning , the earth was thought of as the project ’ s synthesis material , capable of expressing the values of connection with nature and acceptance to which the name Mãe Terra refers . Conceived in the image of a house open to everyone , employees , consumers and even regulars in the neighborhood , the architecture has a materiality composed of variants of the earth : raw ( in mud ) and cooked ( in ceramic blocks ).
Although the projection area of the property has not changed , it is a reform with expansion . There was a complete internal
The objective was to use a ceramic block different from the conventional one on the new walls , with larger ribs as selected in the research of project references . Once a related product was identified in the construction market , the work together with the manufacturer was to expand the load bearing capacity of the block and allow its apparent use , without coatings . This partnership resulted in one of the project ’ s outstanding materials , used both internally and on the facades . Its layout is alternating , of the mooring type , and the expansion joints are larger than usual , equivalent to the width of the ribs of the product .
ARCHETECH - PAGE 46