Strategically positioned at Montevideo’s gateway, along the route connecting to the airport, the Urufarma office and laboratory building, designed by Carlos Ott Architects, reshapes the urban horizon with bold and visionary architectural language. This iconic structure stands not only as a landmark but as a seamless fusion of aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability, settling into the landscape like a fragmented airplane gently touching down.

The architectural design consists of two triangular volumes connected by a central concrete spine, which serves as a roof, circulation core, and drainage system. The envelope combines contemporary materials such as GRC, glass, and metal, bringing a dynamic façade to life that merges conceptual creativity with technical precision. The clean lines and angular forms of the building create a powerful visual impact, redefining architectural experience.

The lighting concept was meticulously designed to enhance the three-dimensionality and sculptural character of the architecture. Linear luminaires embedded in the ground cast a subtle gradient across the façade, concealing the light sources from key viewpoints and accentuating the building’s seamless connection to the landscape. This approach avoids flattening the architectural volume, instead highlighting its dramatic and sculptural presence.

Façade lighting employs a 4000°K colour temperature, enhancing the purity of the white GRC and reinforcing the laboratory’s corporate identity. This contrasts with the 3000°K lighting of the surrounding vegetation, creating a harmonious duality that accentuates the architecture’s distinction from its context. The Urufarma logo, backlit on the rear volume, serves as a visual beacon, establishing the building’s institutional presence and drawing attention from afar.

The lighting design of the surrounding environment deliberately reduces illumination levels, drawing inspiration from an airport runway. Ground-embedded signals subtly guide visitors, emphasizing the transition between landscape and architecture. This thoughtful approach transforms the building into a gateway, inviting exploration and enhancing the experience for both visitors and workers.

The central concrete spine, illuminated with care, serves as a visual axis that organizes and connects the spaces. Grazing light accentuates the abrupt, angular forms of the architecture, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. At night, the building becomes a luminous sculpture, projecting its innovative essence and standing as a visual landmark for those arriving in or departing from Montevideo.

This project redefines the possibilities of light, transforming it into an essential narrative force that amplifies the architecture and elevates it into a true piece of art. The lighting design gives the structure a unique nighttime identity, exaggerating its three-dimensionality and turning it into a striking visual landmark of the city.


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