The biotechnology company Viralgen recently presented its new laboratory complex located in the Miramon Technology Park (Donostia-San Sebastian).
In this ambitious project, the company Flexbrick also played a leading role, providing innovative solutions in the field of construction. Flexbrick, a specialist in flexible ceramic systems, was responsible for designing and supplying the architectural envelope of Viralgen’s laboratory complex.
Viralgen, a San Sebastian-based company specializing in the production of viral vectors for gene therapy, was acquired in 2020 by the multinational pharmaceutical company Bayer. The new facilities, to which Flexbrick contributed its expertise in the architectural envelope, will enable it to increase its current production capacity fivefold and meet the growing demand for gene therapies. These therapies are aimed at addressing cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and rare diseases of genetic origin. The laboratories have required an investment of 70 million euros, which will be increased to 120 million euros in the second phase and will employ a total of 130 specialists.
The collaboration between Viralgen and Flexbrick in this project has been key to achieving state-of-the-art facilities that will boost the research and production of gene therapies to benefit society’s health and welfare.

Flexbrick is an innovative construction system that allows for the creation of ventilated facades and roofs using ceramic pieces of different shapes and colors. The Roldán Civic Center, located in the municipality of Torre Pacheco, is an emblematic work that has used this system to create a sustainable, functional, and aesthetic building.

The project, designed by the architecture studio Lopez + Aroca, consists of a two-story building that houses various public services, such as a library, an auditorium, an exhibition hall, and several classrooms.

The building is organized around a central courtyard that serves as a distributor and meeting space. The facade of the building is covered with white Flexbrick ceramic pieces, which create a contrasting effect with the urban and rural surroundings. The pieces are diamond-shaped and arranged in an irregular pattern that creates shadows and reflections.

The Flexbrick system allows for easy installation and low maintenance, in addition to improving the thermal and acoustic insulation of the building.

The use of Flexbrick in the Roldán Civic Center demonstrates the advantages of this system for creating innovative and sustainable architectures that adapt to the climate and context. The result is a building that combines functionality and beauty and integrates into the urban landscape as an architectural landmark.

In the 151 Toorak Road project, a 6-story office building located in a suburb of Melbourne, the innovative Flexbrick technology has been used to create its exterior facade. This technology consists of a second skin of bricks that is placed on top of a traditional brick base, and has been used to meet the needs of the project.

The facade has been carefully designed based on the analysis of the brick pattern of the old South Yarra post office building, which dates back to the 1890s. This building is one of the few examples that exist of the evolution of an Australian architectural style, combining Australian decorative motifs and art nouveau with American Romanesque and Scottish baronial forms.

The main motif used in the facade is a brick screen with a striking pattern, which is used to passively control the climate. This screen is located within a series of deep frames that further control heat gain from the northwest. Its color and pattern are vertically modified to respond to the mass of the building, urban controls, and the coloring of the neighboring context.

The brick screen drastically reduces glare and the interior temperature of the building, while maintaining views and connection with the street. Detailed studies have been carried out to ensure that interior comfort is maintained while reducing operating costs and dependence on mechanical cooling.

In addition, the facade features a double skin that allows for extensive control of fresh air and natural ventilation by the user, while maintaining privacy. The landscaped outdoor spaces, including a large rooftop garden and a terrace overlooking Toorak Road, provide outdoor green spaces for relaxation.

Finally, it should be noted that the offices have been intentionally designed with a raw and clean look and have been leased as “shells” to reduce or eliminate construction waste. In summary, the 151 Toorak Road project is an example of how Flex Brick technology can be used to create innovative and sustainable solutions in architecture.

Francisco Pomares, architect charged to create this luxury villa in the prime line of the beach
for a relevant chairman in Spain explains:
“We were looking for a material and a system that would allow us to reinterpret the traditional
Mediterranean latticework, made of decorative ceramic pieces, which dress the galleries and
fences of many of the houses in the area. In our case, we worked on a somewhat larger scale
than the houses that surrounded us, and although we wanted a solution that would give us the
same functionality as this, mainly used as a sunscreen and privacy element, we needed it to
adapt to large cloths without posing a risk to its own stability. So, when we discovered
Flexbrick, we were struck by the degree of adaptation of the system to multiple situations,
with a high degree of complexity but very simple to the naked eye.”
The cute volumes and the controlled transparency and openings enable the perception at a
more human scale, for a house that doesn’t look as big as it really is, and relates to the classical
perception and references of canonical modern architecture. The materiality of ceramic adds
up a differential texture to that of its minimalist concrete wall structure, providing shades and
sun control needed for climate comfort of the inside and outside spaces, and framing the
unique view of the Mediterranean sea and the Isle of Tabarca cleverly captured by the project.

Threesixty Foodhall is a modern-day arena that redefines how we experience food and spaces
in Kuwait, by catering to customers’ elevated expectations for quality, service, and convenience.

The design and ambiance of the Food Hall designed by the firm Lines for this Mall give the
allure of an Al Fresco marketplace while maintaining its modern and chic feel. The terrace can be enjoyed during winter months and overlooks the courts of Rafa Nadal Academy Kuwait.
The natural light effect in the corridors is achieved by the use of a checkerboard pattern of
ceramics in the ceiling, enabled by the use of Flexbrick lattice, which brings a natural texture
and tricks the mind in dismissing the reality of this lack of contact with the exterior light.
The center hosts a lush green seating area, which reinforces the ongoing eco-friendly goals.
Visitors are encouraged to support our sustainable efforts by being asked to recycle all waste
consciously.