"Aluminum forest". Alutech office-showroom | VOX Architects

Aluminium Forest

ALUTECH Group of Companies is the leading manufacturer of aluminum profile systems in the CIS, one of the market leaders in the manufacture and sale of roller shutters and sectional gates in Eastern Europe. Today, the holding comprises 5 manufacturing enterprises and more than 20 sales companies.

The conceptual interior of its Moscow representative office was designed by VOX Architects architectural studio.

Business task 

The client’s priority was to combine the functions of an office and a showroom in the space, where architects, designers, developers, general contractors can test the entire product line of the company. To show an impressive range of full production cycle capabilities, the scale and uniqueness of the client, the VOX Architects team developed individual architectural solutions together with the client.

 The architects presented the office concept as an "aluminium forest" consisting of high-tech metal structures. Roller shutter systems, garage doors, profiles made in accordance with the most complex matrices are the main construction material in this multilevel exhibition space. The "architecture in the interior" technique, practiced by VOX Architects in its projects, provided the implementation of all the goals set by the client.

 Space arrangement

 The ALUTECH office showroom is located in the Danilovskaya Manufactory loft quarter. The design feature of this rectangular space with an area exceeding 800 m² is a double grid of columns, the 28 of which are cast-iron and have remained here since the 19th century, and 20 others are modern concrete.

 The regular grid of columns became the basis for profile structure of the space. It emerged as a hexagon, a hexagonal crystal of an aluminium oxide that covers the profiles. The combination of two spatial matrices resulted in a flexible plan scheme. The architects also considered the distribution of energy flows of natural light and the trajectory of movement from the entrance farther to the office.

 The hexagonal structure has become a universal planning and spatial solution. It structured the image of the "aluminium forest" and gave life to the initially dark brick space that lacked movement.

 The site comprises three main functional areas:

— public — for events, guests and presentations;

— communicational — with a winter garden and meeting rooms for visitors and staff;

— office — with offices for managers and spaces for teamwork.

 Along the perimeter of this semantic core, there is a clear passage along the windows. The gallery allows for easy movement between blocks of this multifunctional space.

 In the technical block near the entrance there are dressing rooms, bathrooms, a ventilation chamber, a coffee point, and a room for storage and demonstration of aluminium profiles and mechanisms samples, roller shutter systems and garage doors. This huge zone is dissolved in the entire space with mirror facing panels.

Architecture in the Interior

The client mainly works with the architects and general contractors occupied in the construction of residential and public buildings – that being said, the showroom exhibition area is designed as a corner of an architectural complex in miniature. The company's products are used as partitions and doors, demonstrating the versatility of its functions. Customized combinations of profiles with different cross-sections in combination with composite materials make the range of their application truly limitless.

 The entire external frame is made of light aluminium, while the internal pillars of the hexagon rooms are made of dark gray graphite oxidized aluminium.

Made in corporate colors of the ALUTECH logo, glass objects inside the aluminium hexagon resemble buildings and office blocks, crossed with streets and alleys, while the greenery at their intersection reminds of a landscaping inside an imaginary complex.

Principe of Transformation

 The aluminium structural model of the office is mobile both in terms of space and function: transformable partitions can be installed in any zone, the exposition updated, furniture systems rearranged. Thus, the meeting room is easily transformed to a co-working mode for small groups. The project allows for working areas between meeting rooms: felt-covered walls of the hexagons provide noise insulation and tactile comfort. In case of need the area of the conference room for 25 people can be doubled thanks to the shifting mobile partitions. During events in the public area, buffet tables can accommodate up to 150 people, while the reception desk easily converts its daytime function into a bar.

Design Concept

 The strict geometry of the hexagon sets the tone for the interior at the very entrance. Guests are met at the reception island, the shape of which is visually emphasized by a hexagonal pendant lighting and contour lighting of the desk. During festive events the reception turns into a bar and becomes a point of attraction for guests.

 All the key functional areas of the office route are hexagonal: a conference room, glass meeting rooms, offices of managers and staff that are placed as far from the entrance as possible.

 The central structure made of light silver aluminium is also hexagonal in shape. The lower facet of this volume is a raised floor made of vinyl panels imitating metal and the upper one is a ceiling designed according to VOX Architects sketches made of aluminium profile, traditionally used for facades. The ceiling system is assembled from triangular modules: the main part is filled with Ecophon sound absorbing material, and the remaining part is filled with a translucent material that diffuses light and absorbs sound. The triangular segments create a "sky" above the sectors of the hexagon and combine them in space. The unique ceiling is required due to its function — it provides sound insulation and hides ventilation and communication systems.

 The exposition site for the demonstration of the innovative systems of the "aluminium forest" is beaming, provided with an elaborated lighting scenario — the perimeter along the brick walls of the historical facade, on the contrary, is deliberately submerged into darkness and anthracite shades.