A Prada leather-goods factory at Sibiu — a project developed by PPAE on the concept signed by the Italian studio Canali Associati (Parma), for client Hipic Prod Impex. With a built area of approximately 12,000 sqm, the complex brings together production, storage and administration in an industrial typology treated with architectural care unusual for its category.

Challenges

The project meant translating an architectural concept developed in Italy into an execution compliant with Romanian building codes and the local construction market — coordinating the technical flows, choosing local equivalents for the specified materials, integrating with Romanian contractors. To this was added a sloping site, which required adapted vertical grading solutions, and a quality standard atypical for the industrial typology, dictated by the standards of a client of Prada's stature.

Solutions

• Glued-laminated timber beams in the production and office areas. A solution rarely seen in Romanian industrial halls, replacing the standard steel structure with a warm materiality and an explicitly architectural tectonic expression.
• North-facing skylights for diffuse natural light. The roof geometry provides constant light, without directional variation, in the production areas where visual acuity is critical to the quality of the craftsmanship.
• Exposed concrete in the social spaces. Canteen, changing rooms and corridors treated with a raw but carefully finished materiality that raises the collective-use areas above the standard of the industrial typology.

Result

A factory that looks and behaves like architecture, not like a utilitarian shed. For Prada, a production environment aligned with the brand's standards. For PPAE, confirmation of its ability to deliver projects for top-tier international clients, with the technical rigor that working with leading European studios demands.

Do you have an industrial or production investment in preparation? The PPAE team can support your project from concept to completion, including in collaboration with international architects. Contact us