Sumelec Vizcaya S.L. offices, Asua

Sumelec Vizcaya S.L. Offices, Asua

This photo shows the façade of the office produced for the company Sumelec in Asua. Given that it is not an exterior façade but is built inside a vestibule, we were able to use a material that would not initially be valid for outdoors: oak melamine.

However, in this case, it is not a surface-used melamine but state-of-the-art, synchronised pore melamine that gives an embossed effect representing the grain, an impressive finish very similar to real oak cladding.

The entire metal structure produced by the metalworker was covered. The pieces were distributed over each section, playing with the measurements of the melamine format. To produce the entire unit, we used joints with a 1 cm gap that gave us the solution for the joints between the panels and enabled us to construct the frame system to secure and mount the large panes of glass.

The panel production company helped with this job, designing the edges (to cover the tesla particleboard) in the same way as the panel and wide enough to be able to edge pieces of up to 5 cm to support and secure the glass more firmly.

In this work, the designer sought a balanced appearance between the inside and outside of the building. Therefore, the format of the finishes and the trim on the interior is not overly different from the façade: one-centimetre pilaster edges, gaps of the same size at joints, etc., and even the inner distribution of panels is solved in the same was as the façade.

It is all built using the same synchronised pore oak melamine to give an embossed look that solely contrasts with the glass, the white roofs and the lighting appliances or furniture.

The layout uses glass screens: the screens are 2.50 m in height from floor to roof, of the same finish and with brushed steel finish fixtures.

On the upper floor, as can be seen in the photograph, there is a space at the back that has a 250 x 270 sliding door with a special runner made by Kein for 130 Kg doors.

Finally, all of the floors are covered in wood-imitation PVC, of a very similar colour to the rest of the melamine, even the profiles for the trim on the steps of the stairway connecting the two floors.