Torre BBVA-Bancomer, Mexico City - Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

Torre BBVA Bancomer
Mexico City

Place
Mexico City, Mexico
Date
2009-
Client
BBVA-Bancomer
Site Area
6,620m²
Office Area
78,600m²
Height of Tower
221m
Plumbing Engineer
Arup/Garza Maldonado
Electrical Engineer
Arup/DEC Group
HVAC Engineer
Arup/DYPRO
Lighting Consultant
Fisher Marantz
Cost Consultant
INPROS
Project Manager
Jones Lang LaSalle
Architect
LegoRogers
Structural Engineer
Arup/Colinas de Buen
SA de CV
Sky gardens, located every ninth
floor, create outdoor spaces within
the tower, providing meeting areas
that take advantage of spectacular
views across the city
BBVA Bancomer’s Mexico Headquarters will be the first
collaboration between Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
(RSHP) and Legorreta + Legorreta architects. The
collaboration between the two practices has resulted in an
innovative design for both the building and for Mexico City
and after having developed the friendship between Richard
Rogers and Ricardo Legorreta over many years. The two
practices have different architectural languages but common
values: Richard Rogers said “Ricardo uses very strong colour,
we use more steel and together we have focused on creating
a building of character, with a strong vertical geometry and
rhythm.”
LegoRogers won a competition to design a new
headquarters building for BBVA Bancomer in Mexico City in
2009. The site is one of the most prominent in the Mexican
capital (adjacent to Chapultepec Park) where the new
building will form a gateway to the historical boulevard of
Paseo de la Reforma, the city’s main avenue.
The architecture aims to promote a sense of community and
interaction between staff. The internal spatial arrangement
responds to the geometry and placement of the building
on the site: the structural and service core runs diagonally
across the floorplate giving a maximum area of floorspace
that can be configured in a variety of ways. All areas will have
ample daylight, great views and access to external tripleheight
gardens taking advantage of the spectacular 360°
views. These gardens, located on every ninth level, allow
the working space to be assembled in ‘vertical villages’
and will increase the richness and variety of the working
environment. The common areas for employees such as
the cafeteria (located on a terrace above the cark park with
spectacular views across the park), and an auditorium, are
designed to encourage increased interaction and create a
sense of community both among employees in the same
departments and between staff in different divisions of the
Bank.
The design has evolved from an analysis of the different
orientations of each façade and draws on Mexican
architectural traditions. The geometry of the exterior
shading is used to create a lattice design which will protect
each façade from sunlight and heat whilst optimising natural
daylight. It gives the building a texture that evokes traditional
lattice screens or ‘celosias’.
On the ground floor, the triple-height entrance on the corner
with Paseo de la Reforma will connect the retail banking
operations of the building with the commercial operations
which will take place on the upper floors. From the ground
floor, glazed lifts facing the park will take users, both visitors
and employees, to the sky lobby level. The sky lobby will act
as a ‘window’ to the city and the park. Exhibitions and public
events are planned to take place in the vestibule, auditorium
and cafeteria.
By the end of 2014, the 50-storey tower will provide
approximately 78,600 square metres of prime office space
for BBVA Bancomer and will accommodate approximately
4,500 employees.
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners | Torre BBVA Bancomer, Mexico City | www.rsh-p.com | © 2014