Pullpo Advertising Agency / Hania Stambuk

Jun 2009

Architects: Hania Stambuk Marasovic
Location: Santiago, Chile
Structure Engineer: Claudio Hinojosa
Surface Area: 2,447 sqm
Constructed Area: 674 sqm
Project year: 2007
Construction year: 2008
Photographs: Marcelo Cáceres

Starting the project from the abandoned facilities of a salt factory in the western sector of Santiago Chile, the commission is considered as a counterpoint of industrial aesthetics of the precarious versus a clear and contemporary proposal that complies with the various demands of an advertising agency.

The program is developed considering a workplace for the creative staff that includes offices, conference rooms, photographic studios, service and storage areas, cafeteria, restrooms and incorporated parking.

The project’s strategy consists of providing a human scale to a place conceived for productive processes. For this effect, a number of inter-related flexible units are arranged to host the diverse activities inherent to the world of advertising; activities that range from ordinary situations to unlikely ones, like photography of wild animals or vehicles.

From the standpoint of plasticity the project is expressed as a huge meccano, an image congruent with a prefabricated system of construction based on low cost serial modulation, consequently materials that enabled quick assembling were used: steel, glass, and Isopol panels. The panels have great thermal capacity and were developed for industrial use in refrigerating chambers. Additionally, it was chosen for its rigidity, versatility, and low weight, permitting easy transport.

Each one of the cells conceived to host the programmatic functions constitutes a “small citadel” that linearly encompasses completely the creative process like an assembly line of ideas. These units of controlled atmosphere ensure a comfortable work environment within the great preexisting containing structure.

Programmatic units are structurally joined by braided steel cables anchored to the existing trusses, in order to obtain the maximum structural capacity of the constructive elements that comprise those units; thus creating a non-dissociable relationship between the old and the new project ( host and guest ).

Architecture is re-invented on the site as an advertising metaphor, where astonishment and fiction surpass reality…

: floor plan

: section AA

: section BB

: section DD

: section EE

13 comments »

J says:

i love the feel of this. good choice of colors as well, the darkness and simplicity of things give you an urge to create something which is great for an ad agency

# June 15, 2009 at 16:04

Fino says:

Seems like a lot of room and volume for just an ad agency. I’d would rather see architects all over the place, taking advantage of all the ample space……which is rare for most architecture firm spaces. I would love to see how the workers might have came across creative ways to use the spaces, but I can’t because the photos lack the most important element/s………people.

that is all.

# June 15, 2009 at 18:00

mkk says:

Pretty much my favourite building in the last few years. wow

# June 15, 2009 at 18:06

Benjamin says:

Cool! Is the roof an exisiting structure or new?

# June 15, 2009 at 22:17

Rhodgeer says:

That opening shot of the view through the wall… just superb. What a move!

# June 16, 2009 at 06:36

JM says:

Very cool, I love the idea and the space. But I think the lack of daylight might be a problem in the long run.

# June 16, 2009 at 13:41

roxy says:

It is a very special, simple and modern proyect, very cool!
Congratulations!

# June 16, 2009 at 17:40

Candy says:

Great construction, so cool, is one of my favorite and such a great idea to bring back to life old buildings!

# June 16, 2009 at 17:45

Miko says:

Great Job, nice use of spaces and the hole in the wall you just have to love it. It is a really great idea to bring old buildings back to life again. Congratulations!!.

# June 17, 2009 at 09:32

Pichon says:

the best project ever! i know the proyect is in the inside but i´d like to see the outside to get know the context, and see how the intervention in the inside afects the outside.

congrats hania!

# June 17, 2009 at 11:41

Azar says:

Exciting treatment of spaces, the lights of the hall building are perfectly placed, the intervention of different components,the versatility and manufacture gives a new way of architecture in Chile.
Congrats Pullpo

# June 17, 2009 at 15:12

Andres says:

I’ ve been there, and the pictures really represent the simplicity and good decitions of all the elements that put together this cool place.
Good for Pullpo!

# June 18, 2009 at 11:49