ENRIQUE BROWNE & ASSOCIATE ARCHITECTS
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SONDA BUILDING Architect: Enrique Browne Associated Architects: Rodrigo Iturriaga, Patricio Sancha, Eugenio Browne y Felipe Browne Collaborators: Mariano Chillier, Verónica Celedón, Claudio Peña, Christine Filshill, Claudio Campos, María Inés Buzzoni y Andrés Frávega Structural engineering: Harmut Vogel y Rodrigo Mujica y Leopoldo Breschi Photos: Guy Wenborne Location: Teatinos Esquina Catedral, Santiago Site surface: 2.270 m2. Built surface: 26.683 m2 Date: 1996-2000. SONDA is a company joined by more than 1000 people, dedicated to the production of computational programs. Its site is to only 3 blocks of the foundational square of the Capital of Chile, but in an very degraded environment . The new building signified an impulse for the renewal of the place. The idea of building a tower or a corporate "milestone" was rejected, so it was taken up the traditional plot of the Center of Santiago, with buildings of "continuous facade" of about 10 stores height. The new building is formed by two parallel bodies, one of them shorter to form a small square of access in the corner. This access is a store higher from the street. The "Training" area has independent access on the ground floor. The two bodies contain a glazed atrium, with water, trees and birds that are cheer up the interior. The internal environment is clean and silent. Besides the atrium introduces natural light to the center of the building and acts as chimney to naturally evacuate the heat in summer. This space is crossed by bridges and the different areas have eye contact, promoting teamwork. The shortest body is penetrated by a volume with a crystal double skin. It contains the Presidency. At night this volume is illuminated for the interior, symbolizing the generation of ideas of the business. The upper elements of the building give a technological image, but the same building continues being volumetrically related to the traditional center of Santiago. The building has also a small oratory. It was located in a blind space next to the elevators. It consists on a wooden box that virtually floats over the white illuminated floor. Just a golden light cross emphasizes on the back.