UTIC - União de Transportadores para Importação e Comércio Lda., Transport company and industrial heritage site in Mafamude e Vilar do Paraíso, Portugal.
UTIC is an industrial complex in Mafamude e Vilar do Paraíso housing specialized workshops for bus manufacturing and related transport equipment. The facility separates different work areas including painting, bodywork, and storage behind a linear facade with large windows.
The facility was designed between 1959 and 1968 by architects Carlos Evaristo de Sousa Baptista and Fernando de Sá e Santos Ferreira near major transport routes. It emerged as a specialized manufacturing center for buses during Portugal's period of industrial expansion.
The building structure demonstrates modern architectural principles through its emphasis on efficiency, incorporating geometric elements and two access towers.
The complex is best explored on foot to understand its different functional zones and building layout. The large windows allow views into the various workshops without needing to enter the facility itself.
The ridge roof system remains hidden from exterior view while providing interior light through carefully positioned windows. This subtle design approach shows how architects integrated natural light with industrial function.
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