The Brief: (marketing through architectural design)

Intercafe Freeze-Dried Coffee Factory is EXFORMA’s second collaboration with an owner of a multinational coffee supplier. EXFORMA had previously designed a spray-dry coffee factory for the owner whose construction has been completed. Satisfied with the previous design, the owner approached EXFORMA with the commission of a new freeze-dried coffee factory to be located on the lot of land perpendicular to the previous project. With the previous design embodying a strong formal expression in a modernistic tone, the new design is to represent a departure from the old; embracing a new set of sustainable and stylistic sensibilities from a more contemporary standpoint. The owner wanted a design that would behave as the key marketing tool for his coffee business, creating an impactful impression for his prospective B2B clients.

The Solution: (sustainable sensibility, contemporary design)

To formulate a cohesive design for this 11,000 sq.m. project, the architect conducted extensive site research on the environmental aspects and regulatory requirements of the Cu Chi Industrial Park that may prove useful in setting the parameters for design. The key aspects that informed the design were the predominant sunlight path, the programmatic requirements of the project itself, and the proximity of the site to other programs in the industrial park.
Firstly, all functional spaces are organized in accordance to the best possible sequence of operations. The loading dock, canteen area, operations office are located towards the frontal approach followed by the freeze dried production line, the supporting machineries/boilers, and special beans roasting area.

The form of the building is derived through a series of iterations involving the act of “pushing and pulling” each edge of the mass to create curvatures suggestive of the coffee bean in a contemporary expression. The sun axis is drawn on the roof, creating manipulation ‘pull’ points for curved openings that would allow indirect natural light inlet. Multiple openings allow for the predominant southern wind to enter and create natural ventilation for the building. The ‘skin’ of the building is specially considered and consists of a combination of perforated aluminum meshes and solid aluminum panels. The canteen is cladded with a glass curtain wall and is shaded by perforated aluminum meshes, allowing views out while partially letting sunlight in.

The same perforated skin encompasses the frontal areas of the factory, being ‘pulled up’ to create a loading dock. The curved aluminum cladding creates a skin for the whole factory expressed in a cohesive design expression reflecting the innovative vision set by the owner for his state-of-the-art factory.