Barad Factory

Industrial architecture seems to inherently imply rough spaces that lack character and quality. The objective for the Barad Factory design was to elevate the quality of work and life in an industrial environment. The project is located in the industrial town of Caspian. It is a mixed-use complex comprised of three main branches; production, administration and services, including a restaurant and storage. As the production workhouse was a predetermined factory routine structure ,it prompted the design to further evaluate and critique the as an architectural artifact and act as a design framework for the rest of the project. On the other hand, the design of a mixed-use compound must integrate the various functions in order to optimize spatial quality and interaction as well as allow each independent branch to function efficiently. Consequently, the design approach was to transform 3 functions in 3 separate branches to a single cooperative within a unified spatial and structural system. This approach would improve the factory in terms of spatial quality, functionality and accessibility. To this end, administration was incorporated within the factory structure and through changing the scale of the structure to include office and services, the entire complex can be housed within a single structural system. This integration enhanced inter-functional connectivity with economic benefits for both engineering and architecture. Services and offices are housed in a series of shifted blocks integrated within the warehouse to meet employee needs. Furthermore three garden spaces are suspended from the structure roof to the North to separate and organize office and service space at a macro and micro scale. These gardens allow natural lighting in the office and warehouse space, while enhancing indoor spatial quality and infusing an industrial space with human scale and character.