richard meier architects: mitikah office tower

‘mitikah office tower’ by richard meier & partners, mexico all images courtesy of richard meier & partners

the ‘mitikah office tower’ is the third architecture project in mexico to be completed by richard meier & partners. part of the larger mixed-use master plan designed by pelli clarke pelli architects and developed by IDEURBAN /IDcity. the overall scheme consists of commercial space, low-rise residential buildings, along with a hotel and residential tower.

the slender 34-story volume rises above a transparent and translucent building base, whereby the anchoring lobby, positioned to be visible from all approaches to the site, is exposed to the retail plaza and adjacent commercial space. located at the southwest corner of master plan, the building offers the opportunity to develop an architecture that mediates between commercial core and nearby residential community, and acts as visual transition between av. rio churubusco, an elevated highway, and pedestrian boulevard of retail plaza.

aerial view

the 19th floor houses a skygarden with integrated conference pavilion, while a restaurant and sky-bar on the 34th floor provide unique destinations for mix-use development. a six-story underground garage offers joint parking not only for the building, but other components of the master plan. the overall formal vocabulary of the massing reflects the distinct orientation of the site while addressing requirements of sustainability, maximum efficiency and flexibility.

east elevation

the south and east façades of the high-rise are composed of a continuous high-performance curtain wall modulated by subtle folds, resulting in a sculptural expression. the north and west elevations also composed by a curtain wall system with modular and orthogonal articulations, reference the proportions of the surrounding context. the choice of selecting an efficient curtain wall system with clear and fritted low-E glass maximizes the use of natural daylight through the office building while reducing solar intake.

lobby

all façades of the building boast floor-to-ceiling glass walls, offering unparalleled views of downtown mexico city, surrounding mountains and central valley. the interplay of natural light and shadow animates the interior office space giving its occupants a quality that changes throughout the day. ‘mitikah office tower’ is expected to be LEED-certified and completed in 2014.

water wall

‘mexico city has always been among the most important cultural and commercial centers in latin america. the new tower will undoubtedly contribute visual significance to the skyline of the city and to the neighborhood. the design is influenced by a modern interpretation of aztec forms.’ – bernhard karpf, design partner-in-charge

ground floor plan

20th floor plan

section

south elevation

east elevation

site plan