Glass bottling Plant Cristalchile / Guillermo Hevia

Architect Guillermo Hevia has been doing nice industrial works, focusing on sustainability. This glass bottling plant features passive ventilation and a daylight use strategy that reduces the energy consumption of the building. Check the sections for more info about that.

Architect: Guillermo Hevia H.
Collaborators: Francisco Carrión G. (Architect), Marcela Suazo M. (Development/CAD)
Bioclimate: BIOTECH Chile Consultores,   Jorge Ramirez F.
Location: 5 Norte Route, Km. 85, Llay-Llay, V Región – Chile
Site area: 270.000m2
Built area: 27.500m2
Year: 2006
Building materials: Steel, Silk-screened glass and concrete

An undulating mantle making an analogy with the geographical area placed in favor of the predominant  winds. The use of multiple maintainable  technologies creates the suitable environment for working ands production of glass bottling.

The new plant of Cristalchile in Llay-Llay ( meaning wind-wind in Mapuche language), 85 Km. North far from Santiago  leads industrial architecture worldwide by incorporating the use of Bioclimatic  technologies (geothermic, eolithic, lighting and acoustic) to the buildings as well as to  production processes, with a real compromise with Maintainability, energy saving, life quality and environment protection. It is important to point out this  is an industry with  production processes, but most important of all, with people working.
Our aim, through  architecture, is to dignify these two facts using  simple materials  and natural resources in design but also trying to contribute with a message to society. Architecture plays the main role to achieve this purpose.  Both, day and night, the undulating shapes of a big ascending roof are the image of a mantle moved by the winds of the area ; the transparencies of the glass façade that makes the production process transparent are an  architectonic speech of easy and categorical understanding, emphasizing  the handling of light and shadows, shows the huge scale and gains meaning when faced to the immediate area surroundings and geography.

Concepts; Tradition, Efficiency, Technology, Maintainability, Design and Vanguard

Sustainable Features

The use of natural ventilation (Venturi effect) making use of the existing winds and roof’s ventilation; hot air from production area  is taken  out and temperature is dissipated through holes in the glass facades ( Inner temperature is always higher tan outer). Through geothermic,  air at a steady  20° T is incorporated into working areas; such air is naturally treated  in underground pipes (3 m deep) using just 7 mechanical fans (37 HP total consumption). During the day, the building only uses natural zenithal lighting.