The valley of Baztan is located in the North of Navarra, in the border with France, into a privileged environment, surrounded by mountains and composed of little villages.

Authors Architects Vaillo+Irigaray Architects
Antonio Vaillo, Juan Irigaray, D.Galar, J.Velaz

Location: Lekaroz, Navarra, Spain
Area: .254 m2
Client: Lozy’s Pharmaceutical
Production & Consultants: Mendyra S.L. (E.Iraola, J.Jamar, L.Echamendi)
Structural Engineering: Raúl Escrivá
Cladding Manufacturer: Arcelor Mittal
Photographer: Rubén P. Bescós

Pharmaceutical Factory By Vaillo + Irigaray Architects - Sheet1The demolition of an old and famous school building, leaved an empty area for the economic development of the valley. The construction of the first building in this site generated some concern on the population for the impact that a pharmaceutical factory might have -the first project presented by an engineering firm was too rigid and hard-. The order comes as a request to solve the relationship between volume and environment.

Pharmaceutical Factory By Vaillo + Irigaray Architects - Sheet2The project is conceived as a reflection about the relationship between the volume and its surroundings. In general, the valley houses are “caserios”, typical constructions of slopped roofs, of small size, and the addition of them creates the image of the villages. In addition to that, the permanent presence of the wavy geometry of surrounding mountains. The result is an exercise of rooftops aggregation as an interpretation of architectures addition that helps to configure a volume capable of connecting tradition and nature.

Pharmaceutical Factory By Vaillo + Irigaray Architects - Sheet3Inside, the project follows the functional requirements derived from an industrial process. The project optimizes the resources, the volume and the circulations to allow the building to have the maximum flexibility and adaption to the processes.

Pharmaceutical Factory By Vaillo + Irigaray Architects - Sheet5Constructively the project is solved with a simple steel structure and one single material for the cladding, a drilled steel sheet, facade and roof-, obtaining a stripped image that reminds -conceptually-, some old timber constructions blackened over time, typical of these latitudes.

Antonio Vaíllo

VAILLO+IRIGARAY ARCHITECTS
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