Torre BBVA Bancomer Mexico City 5670_TorreBBVA_JS.indd 1 24/09/2014 16:15:52 Place Mexico City, Mexico Plumbing Engineer Arup/Garza Maldonado Date 2009- Electrical Engineer Arup/DEC Group Client BBVA-Bancomer HVAC Engineer Arup/DYPRO Site Area 6,620m² Lighting Consultant Fisher Marantz Office Area 78,600m² Cost Consultant INPROS Height of Tower 221m 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 5670_TorreBBVA_JS.indd 2 24/09/2014 16:15:53