Completed in 2010 in Irapuato, a city in the south-central region of Mexico's Guanajuato state, Procter & Gamble's (P&G) Planta Milenio illustrates the potential gains of rethinking the architecture of today's factories. While the design, by architects Davis Brody Bond with engineering designer and project manager Arup, is rooted in the company's industrial process, it balances utilitarian goals with those that have emerged in the global economy—environmental sustainability, worker retention, and productivity.
“They wanted as much flexibility as possible,” says Davis Brody Bond partner Christopher K. Grabé. The design team held workshops with P&G employees to understand the manufacturing process. “The idea was to come up with scenarios in which they could move equipment to make the factory more efficient, productive, and ergonomic,” says Grabé.
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