FMA converts a Mexican convent into a flexible office space
Fronted by designer Francisco Méndez, FMA has transformed a place of religion into a place of work in the city of Morelia, Mexico.
Photography: César Belio.
Breathing new life into the 17th century convent, local design studio FMA has sensitively embraced the original features of the religious building, while infusing GO’s new Headquarters with contemplative design choices.
As with typical monastic structures, a central courtyard is surrounded by cloisters which spill into the string of rooms previously dedicated to worship. The design practice has adapted these interconnected spaces to accommodate different workstyles, opting for sparse, unfixed FF&E for versatility of function. Oak tables span whole rooms for desk working, a library with low seating welcomes intensive study and an auditorium, complete with tiered seating, is primed for lecture-type demonstrations.
Recreational spaces include a horseshoe-shaped coffee bar covered with hand-formed clay tiles, where the acoustically optimised meditation room, ‘the nest’, benefits from comfortable padded floors, ambient light fixtures and a scattering of bolster cushions.
The ornamentation is paired-back throughout. Unadorned walls and humble furnishings; the ‘no-frills’ design language speaks to the modest lifestyle of the clergy that once occupied the building’s colonnades, backdropped by pink hues and white oak stave flooring. Meanwhile, ceramic elements in terracotta made by local artisans against limewashed alcoves illustrates a coming together of natural and regional materials.
In this project, Méndez aimed to capture the introspective quality of religious architecture, the calm atmosphere allowing employees to conduct work tasks with ease and adding a sense of sanctuary to the workplace.
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