An industrial building with chill factor

Maris Medical deals in emergency medical equipment. As their customers are exposed to stress on a daily basis through their jobs, the clients wanted a design that exuded relaxation and calm.

As one of the main providers of emergency medical equipment in Romania, Maris Medical specializes in equipping ambulances. The vehicles are kitted out and serviced at the company’s headquarters in the Ilfov region outside Bucharest.

When designing the building, the owners had a special request for the architects: the exterior should be visually interesting but not turbulent or too exciting. “You have to consider how many different difficult cases ambulance drivers and first responders have to deal with each and every day. That’s why the idea for the project was to create a relaxing environment for these medical workers,” says Bogdan Stroe, RECKLI partner in Romania.

The client opted for a combination of two concrete surface finishes: white washed concrete was used on the ground floor, with gray concrete embellished with a texture from the RECKLI series SELECT above. The Gemina Group, a Romanian firm specializing in industrial buildings, took over planning. 

“It was a challenge to realize two different concrete designs with their different textures and methods in a harmonious way on the same element,” says Stroe. To imprint the 1/41 B Ibiza texture into the concrete, formliners from the SELECT series were placed into the framework. As the concrete dried, they imprinted the texture into the surface.

To wash the concrete, the precast plant used RECKLI Deactivator CR Type N. This solvent-based concrete surface retarder changes the rate at which the treated concrete binds so that the surface can be washed after a short application time. RECKLI CR Type N is suitable for fine washing work within a negative process.

Concerns surrounding unmolding the 2.5 x 9 meter concrete elements were unfounded. The elastic textured formliners can be easily removed from the concrete element once dry. The transition from textured concrete to washed concrete also impressed the clients. To protect the white and gray concrete from soiling by the elements, the surfaces were treated with RECKLI OS Premium. This prevents water and dirt particles from penetrating the concrete surface, ensuring a fresh look without extensive maintenance.

Project: Maris Medical Service Facility

Location: Ilfov, Romania

Architect: Gemina Group

Concrete Design: SELECT 1/41 B Ibiza, RECKLI Deactivator CR Type N, RECKLI OS Premium

Photos: Silviu Ciobanu