Coffee Production Plant - Meama

2019Office Interiors (<25,000 sq ft.)Commercial

Year: 2019
Category: Commercial · Office Interiors (<25,000 sq ft.)
Type: Commercial
Status: Built
Firm: Khmaladze Architects
Location: Tbilisi, Georgia

Given the prominent location, the city required a building that would escape the regular factory appearance, and the client's intention was to create a strong visual identity for the newly created coffee brand. The program required spaces that would fit both, coffee production plant with its facilities and office space which would provide variety of work space arrangements, meetings and socializing areas, both indoors and outdoors. Additionally, public areas which would include coffee tasting cafe with small coffee exhibits.

As a response, a regular, box‐like volume of a production plant required to serve the building's primary purpose adjusts to program components by wrapping around them. It stays high where necessary to fit production equipment and lowers where possible. Same with office, the building shell wraps around work, meeting and rest spaces arranged on floors suspended on various levels. The three atriums as the light wells, and numerous skylights bring daylight to the work and shared spaces below. The atriums are filled with plants to form small green outdoor spaces directly visible from all indoor areas.

From the highway, the monolithic mass with no visible openings adapted to the slope of the site is an object of curiosity. While its internal spaces are all oriented and opened towards the green park located on the back side and the sky by means of two terraces which are part of the green roof. The all‐concrete facade folds to produce double curved geometry. Its appearance changes during course of a day, following sun movement producing an interplay of light and shadows. Central entrance is a narrow gap produced by lifted concrete shell leading into a large main lobby located between the two of the green atriums.

The multilevel platforms for coffee exhibits and lounges are greeting visitors along the stairs and ramps leading to the coffee tasting cafe and the office spaces. Underground level is mainly used for indoor parking and various storage and facilities. CONSTRUCTION /

Materials and Structure

The concrete structure with one‐way waffle slab spans up to 16 meters to create large unobstructed spaces. Steel floor slabs are suspended from the roof slab on various levels with use of steel rods. The cast in place concrete folded facade which ages well, is a double wall with insulating layer inbetween. The 3,680 sqm green roof acts as an additional thermal barrier to the roof insulation. The roof is intended to grow vegetation found around the site with wild grasses and plants, to blend with the context and require less maintenance.

Credits: - Khmaladze Architects - Architect - Tinatin Sherazadishvili - Khmaladze Architects - Architect - Ana Khutsishvili - Khmaladze Architects - Lead Architect - Giorgi Khmaladze - Khmaladze Architects - Interior Designer - Maia Bagishvili Credits: - Khmaladze Architects - Architect - Tinatin Sherazadishvili - Khmaladze Architects - Architect - Ana Khutsishvili - Khmaladze Architects - Interior Designer - Maia Bagishvili - Khmaladze Architects - Lean Architect - Giorgi Khmaladze