Renovation and Expansion of Exporlux Facilities in Águeda, Portugal

The renovation and expansion of the Exporlux facilities in Águeda, Portugal, designed by Espaço Objecto, Arquitetura & Design, Lda, represents a comprehensive architectural requalification of one of the country’s leading lighting equipment manufacturers. Completed in 2022, the project addresses the spatial, functional, and visual challenges resulting from decades of phased growth, transforming a fragmented industrial complex into a cohesive contemporary workplace.

Requalifying an Evolving Industrial Complex

Exporlux’s continuous expansion over time led to a layered architectural condition, where successive additions reflected differing materials, construction systems, and design languages. Rather than erasing this history, the project embraces renovation as a strategic tool to reorganize and unify the existing structure. The intervention included the construction of a new lighting laboratory, interior remodeling of the showroom, office, and training areas, and a complete renewal of the building’s exterior identity.

This architectural requalification sought to reconcile operational efficiency with brand representation, positioning the building as both an industrial facility and a public-facing corporate headquarters.

Interior Remodeling and Spatial Coherence

Inside, the renovation focuses on material simplification and spatial clarity. A restrained palette of finishes enhances continuity between different functional zones, creating a unified interior environment across the nearly 7,949 m² facility. The redesigned spaces improve circulation, visibility, and adaptability, supporting both daily operations and client-facing activities.

On the first floor, the showroom was entirely reimagined to showcase Exporlux’s lighting products through flexible and innovative display systems. The reception area is anchored by a sculptural staircase in exposed white concrete, whose fluid geometry becomes a focal point of the interior architecture. This element is complemented by a continuous wall clad in horizontal wooden slats, extending seamlessly into a curved ceiling and reinforcing a sense of movement and warmth.

Light, Landscape, and Workplace Experience

The showroom and cafeteria spaces open directly onto a landscaped courtyard, introducing natural light and greenery into the heart of the building. This outdoor area enhances user comfort while creating visual connections between interior and exterior spaces. The courtyard is reflected in the dark mirrored glass façades of the new lighting laboratory, generating dynamic visual effects that shift with changes in sunlight and weather conditions.

This integration of landscape and architecture reinforces the project’s focus on well-being, daylighting, and environmental awareness—key considerations for contemporary office and industrial design.

A New Exterior Identity Through the Curtain Façade

One of the defining features of the renovation is the transformation of the building’s exterior image. The architects introduced a curtain façade composed of vertically arranged frosted glass panels, applied to the showroom and office volumes. This layer creates a uniform architectural language across the two main façades while subtly filtering light and controlling solar exposure.

The glass panels follow a precise system of modulation and overlap, introducing depth, rhythm, and transparency. Strategic voids in the façade reveal pockets of greenery between the new curtain wall and the original structure, softening the industrial character and reinforcing the dialogue between old and new.

Contemporary Architecture for a Lighting Industry Leader

The renovation and expansion of the Exporlux facilities demonstrates how adaptive reuse and architectural coherence can redefine industrial architecture. By combining functional upgrades with a strong visual identity, the project aligns the company’s physical environment with its innovative role in the lighting industry.

Through careful material choices, refined spatial sequences, and a contemporary façade system, Espaço Objecto delivers a workplace that balances industrial performance, architectural expression, and user experience, positioning Exporlux for continued growth in a competitive global market.

Project Details

  Architects: Espaço Objecto, Arquitetura & Design, Lda Location: Águeda, Portugal Program: Office Buildings / Industrial Facilities Area: 7,949 m² Year: 2022

All photographs are works of  Ivo Tavares Studio