AWARD
Good news from Bulgaria! On 4 April 2024, the design for Melexis won in the corporate, administrative, commercial and industrial buildings category. The text below appeared to clarify the nomination.
Investment features of the building:
Melexis designs, develops and delivers innovative microelectronics solutions. Given the growing global need for chips and the company's expansion plans, Melexis completed its new production and administration building in Sofia in 2022. It complements the current complex and increases production space, storage, research and development. The new building is divided into two parts - office and production. It will contribute to Melexis' future growth, both for the development of new products and to increase capacity for chip testing in production. The new building has a capacity of 250 workstations in the office section and the production section can accommodate more than 450 machines with the new facility. The increased capacity has resulted in 160 new jobs. With the new production and administration building, Melexis is setting high standards for the quality of the working environment. The main aim of the project is to expand the company's production capacity, avoiding the separation of personnel flows by centralising access and social functions in the building. The building has a floor area of 16,000 m², spread over three floors. The first floor, with an area of 6 630 m², houses production, storage and technical areas serving the production activity. On the second and third floors, with an area of 9 330 m², are modern office spaces offering various possibilities for work and rest. The second floor also houses the building's dynamic spaces, such as the reception and meeting rooms. There is also the recreation and dining area, as well as the changing rooms for the production team and the second level of the warehouse. The new production facility is currently the company's largest for testing microchips.
Architecture, design, functionality:
Located in the capital's Gorublyane district, the building fits organically into the urban environment. It is a project with many innovations and technical achievements. The extinguishing gas system is among the largest in the world, the implementation of which was accompanied by challenges of airtightness in such large spaces. Besides the electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems that are standard in every building, the building has dedicated systems that supply natural gas, compressed air, liquid nitrogen and propylene glycol for the needs of the production process. The highest level of fire resistance is guaranteed by automatic fire doors, curtains and a gas extinguishing system. The specific nature of the production process of electronic components places high demands on the architectural finish of the production facilities. The floor covering is an integrated electric shock discharge (ESD) system for protection against static electricity, and the specially installed suspended ceiling (Tate Grid) allows quick, easy and, above all, clean installation of all systems required for production.
The integrated vertical racking in the warehouse, which is used to store chips and packaging materials with a height of 10 metres each, helps optimise space in height. The office space on the third floor occupies only a fraction of the floor area. The remaining space is divided between a technical roof enclosed by high facades to ensure the integrity of the building's volumetric composition, where a 900 m² steel platform houses HVAC equipment, and a landscaped roof terrace. Green spaces are an integral part of the vision to provide a comfortable and greener environment for employees. The building has 5 Japanese courtyards (patios) - each 70 m² in size and 2 landscaped terraces. The project includes a new internal road network, parking space, the creation of 6 hectares of accessible park area, a new crossing with covered bicycle storage, etc. The park area and rich landscaping of the area create a natural setting.
Construction, energy efficiency and technological performance:
The wide range of functions and high demands necessitated the combination of a variety of innovative and more unconventional structural and architectural solutions, building technologies and installations typical of different types of buildings - industrial, office and public. Implementing the project during the nearly two-year global pandemic posed challenges for Melexis, the designers and the contractors. The building's structure is a composite structure combining all major construction types - monolithic reinforced concrete, fibre-reinforced floor slabs, a precast monolithic Spirol-type system, classical steel construction and combined steel-reinforced concrete elements. The volumetric composition avoids the usual single volume solutions for manufacturing buildings and provides a harmonious balance between two- and three-storey volumes. The facade solution has a minimalist, contemporary character without superfluous decoration. The solid sections are resolved with metal sandwich panels, to which a cladding of sawn decorative boards is applied, giving detail and a sense of depth to the finished façade. The grassy area of the site is 11 000 m², divided into zones accessible by dedicated paths.
Technologies are applied to ensure sustainability in the use of natural resources. On the first floor of the building is the compressor room with compressors and dehumidifiers needed for the production process. The heat generated from these is used to heat the building and also to heat water for domestic use. This process reduces the use of resources such as gas and electricity. A tank has been built to collect rainwater and use it for toilets. The building has a gymnasium with changing rooms, lockers and showers for the convenience of employees. The entire building is centrally managed with a unique Building Management System (BMS) - developed according to Melexis' needs with preset efficiency settings and scenarios for specific situations. The BMS monitors air conditioning, lighting, exterior blinds, fire alarm and suppression, lifts, compressor room, heating, humidity and CCTV systems 24 hours a day. The BMS maintains set lighting and heating levels, saving energy and avoiding unnecessary resource consumption. There is parking for 168 vehicles with 5 separate charging stations for electric vehicles. An area with controlled access accommodates 40 bicycles and 16 motorbikes, with 6 spaces for charging electric bicycles and motorbikes.
