Sugar Factory Iansa in Chile by Max-A architecture

While the natural sweetener from stevia was approved in the European Union as a food additive only in November 2011, indigenous people in Paraguay and Brazil have been using sweet leaves to enhance dishes and drinks for centuries. Global demand for this plant is growing at a rapid pace. Factories for extracting sugar from stevia are also being established in record time. The Chilean studio Max-A had only four months to develop the entire factory complex project and an additional eight months for its realization.
The company Iansa is among the leading sugar processors in Chile. Their latest factory is located in the central part of the country between the cities of San Carlos and Chillán. The facility occupies one-third of a hectare plot. The surrounding landscape design also comes from the Max-A studio. The complex is dominated by a giant concrete silo, in front of which is a horizontal translucent structure where the packaging and distribution of the product Cero K takes place. Behind the translucent façade, a massive truss structure is visible, revealing the activities inside the factory. The individual rectangular floor plans are slightly rotated, creating both a dynamic appearance and covered entry areas for employees and truck deliveries.