Project posted by Paulo Martins Arq&Design

From Paulo Martins Arq&Design

A canteen, a meeting point, a place for socialising, a time to relax and unwind...
We were asked to make the company canteen just like that, a space where employees could relax while taking a break from work, with the conditions and aesthetic concerns that anybody would have in their own homes.

This gave rise to a kind of open space viewpoint, contained in terms of materiality but meticulous in intent and in details. This space is divided into two areas: an entrance area with a lower ceiling, where a

multipurpose kitchenette is located, and the actual canteen, with an excellent view over the factory.

This multipurpose mini-kitchen rises from the floor and becomes an imposing element. It has all the

technical features required of a canteen: a washbasin for washing your hands as soon as you reach the area, a fridge, microwave, sink, storage area for trays and bins, a drinks machine and a high counter where you can have a coffee and read the newspaper.

The more unprocessed materials used in this canteen, microcement on the floor and mini-kitchen, tiled

walls and acoustic plasterboard on the ceiling, give the area a somewhat industrialised appearance,

enveloping its users in this mechanical environment the factory is part of.