richard meier ideates twin reforma towers for mexico city

richard meier ideates twin reforma towers for mexico city
all images courtesy of richard meier & partners

richard meier & partners has announced details of a mixed-use development in the center of mexico city. entitled ‘reforma towers’, the scheme is sensitive to the region’s history and responds directly to the city’s growing economy. the overall design of the project offers potential for the future expansion of the site.

situated along a prominent boulevard, the design comprises two independent structures connected through a shared base. the taller of the two towers is a 40-storey building which will accommodate high end offices, retail outlets and dining and recreational facilities. the separate 27-floor structure will house a hotel complimenting its larger neighbor.

the development is situated along a prominent boulevard in the city

challenging the conventional typology of multi-storey buildings, a central void is carved through the volume establishing an elevated urban courtyard. natural light will filter through this void, with the program redistributed into unorthodox yet efficient configurations. the structure’s transparent façades emphasize views of across the city.

collaborating with associate architect diametro arquitectos and structural engineer WSP group, the project is scheduled to be completed by 2015.

 
the taller 40-storey building which will accommodate high end offices, retail outlets

‘the design of the ‘reforma towers’ is concerned with the making of space, not abstract space, not scaleless space, but space whose order and definition is related to light, to human scale and to the culture of architecture. every component has been carefully designed taking in consideration the public areas, the city and natural light’, explains richard meier.

the separate 27-floor structure will house a hotel complimenting its larger neighbor

‘at the center of development there is a central void, an urban courtyard, in the main tower which is a celebration of space, form and light. natural light will filter through the void between the office modules providing for particularly animated light conditions. we have designed the surface and the volumes of the towers to take advantage of natural light, changes of scale and views to the city,’ continued bernhard karpf, design partner-in-charge.

the entrance lobby at ground level

the central void flood the upper levels of the tower with natural light 

the sky terrace and lounge offer expansive views across mexico city

the office atrium and central void

typical office space within the larger tower

site plan

floor plan / level 0

tower A typical atrium and tower B typical hotel

typical parking

tower A sky lobby

sky plaza

tower A north elevation

tower A south elevation

towers A and B east elevation

towers A and B west elevation

tower A section

towers A and B section

richard meier sketch

project model

study models

full article here

project info:

design principals: richard meier, bernhard karpf
project manager: ringo offermann
project architect: david ricardo davila
project team: techan abe, kevin browning, amy dedonato, john jourden, aung thu kyaw, chris layda, christopher lewis, ian lotto, sharon oh, giorgio villa
associate architect: diametro arquitectos