Mexico-based architecture and design firm ROW Studio recently has completed the Espacio C Mixcoac, a training facility for Coca Cola FEMSA in Mexico City.

The first training facility called Espacio C (C Space -C for the initials of Coca Cola, Training, Quality, Commitment and Creativity in Spanish-) is located at the Mixcoac Distribution Center on the southwestern area of Mexico City. It includes three separate rooms that can be joined together for common activities, a mediateque, snacks bar, souvenir store, data and electrical connections and storage space. The brief also required to include elements from the different brands of Coca Cola FEMSA and to reinforce the company’s values in the space.

Espacio C Mixcoac has two small rooms with a capacity for 8 persons each that can be used for teamwork, brainstorming, as reading rooms or for informal meetings and a large main hall that in addition to the activities already mentioned can be used for formal training sessions, lectures and presentations. The three rooms follow a concentric layout around a multifunctional fixed module.

These spaces are surrounded by a wall that acts as a sound and visual barrier that isolates the training facility from the city and the rest of the areas of the plant. The wall was thought as a continuous surface on its outer side that folds to the floor and ceiling. The walls and ceiling have a Coca Cola Red epoxy paint coating and the floor is finished with a high resistance acrylic finish.

The wall has openings that allow natural light and ventilation to the interior of the rooms. These openings are cut with a 3 degree inclination and appear both from the floor and the ceiling even cutting the foldings. A series of lines appear from these openings expanding in white to the outside and converging in different colors to the inside. These lines continue on to opposite walls to emphasize the continuity of the surfaces.

Architects: ROW Studio – Álvaro Hernández Félix, Nadia Hernández Félix, Alfonso Maldonado Ochoa.
Project: Espacio C Mixcoac
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Use: Training Facility
Client: Coca Cola FEMSA – Brenda Grissel González Aguilar, Training Manager. Ramón Gorbea Chávez, Project Leader.
Architect of Record and General Contractor: INMO¬SUR SA de CV – Arq. Álvaro Hernández Cabada.
Graphics: Carlos Ortega Quezadas
Contributors: Cecilio Hernández, Isaac Cielak, Félix Cañez.
Lighting Consultants: B&B Iluminación
Built Area: 1292 sq. ft. (120 Sq. Mts.)
Completition Date: July 2009
Furniture: Calligaris
Ceramics: Ariel Rojo
Flower Arrengments: Flora Inc. – Gloria Maldonado.
Clothing: T.E.M.O.R.E.S.
Photographer: Juan Marcos Castañeda for ROW Studio (© ROW Studio)