Inco Vale

A Nickel’s Worth of Inspiration for a Major Mining Concern

Research is always an important starting point for B|A’s creative team. In designing the International Marketing Centre for Inco Vale – the world’s top producer of nickel – we took the time to dig up everything we could on the company’s most significant product. And there we found our design inspiration.

Not only is nickel a critical component in everything from batteries to bottles, but did you know that it is also what makes stainless steel such an easy-to-work-with alloy? Once we learned about the nickel content in this ubiquitous metal we decided to feature stainless steel as a starring material.

Because the client owns the building, we had the freedom to take an architectural approach to the project, opening up the interior to maximize the impact of the skylights and clerestory windows. Endeavouring to use natural materials wherever possible we combined honey-tinted oak millwork with reflective white walls, keeping the space bright and warm. The floors are genuine Piasentina stone in an almost metallic grey that complements the stainless steel accents. The steel is used with great restraint, showing up overhead, in the metal grids that define key entry points. It’s used to make the custom frames for the 12-foot photo prints that line a main hallway. All the images, not coincidentally, contain a nickel shout-out: One image is of a sports car, built using the element for everything from the battery to the hubcaps. Another shot looks like abstract art – it’s actually just what you’d see if you viewed the material at the atomic scale.