Architectural densities

The project is a 42,725m2 multifamily housing building, which embodies a harmonious assembly of functional spaces, intricate structures, premium materials and custom-made furniture.

 

Design Philosophy

Located in the vicinity of the Pedregal de San Ángel Ecological Reserve, the housing complex not only recognizes the environmental value of the area by integrating itself to the already developed periphery that surrounds it, but also compliments the modernist architecture of the National Autonomous University of Mexico central campus as well as the industrial past of the San Ángel and Loreto neighbourhoods. The architectural forms vary in density, constructing an interplay between solids and voids and framing panoramic views of the immediate landscape. The building acts as a reference to the area’s industrial and cultural heritage becoming seamlessly integrated to El Pedregal’s history.

 

Architectural Morphology & Layout

The complex includes 14 floors, 112 apartments -in 18 different typologies from 90m2 to 300m2 -as well as an array of open spaces, recreation and circulation areas and the lobby. The building morphology is made of complex curves and vertical elements that form both interior and exterior spaces, which construct a unique urban complex that benefits the area at a social, environmental as well as cultural scale.

 

Material Palette & Context Integration

The materials and finishes are comprised of raw concrete, aluminium and glass, which -along with excellent structural engineering design- assemble an elegant structure with harmonious proportions amongst public and private spaces. In response to the physical and natural context, the project takes into consideration the access points, sidewalks, bays and lobbies adjacent to public space, carefully integrating them into the city’s urban fabric. Finally, the complex’s basement is made out of natural stone and is planted with local vegetation.

Changing identity

The project renovates an existing building situated in a prime central location on Michalakopoulou Street. It spans nearly the entire block, bordered by Michalakopoulou, Papadiamantopoulou, Pontou, and Laodikeia Streets in Ilisia.

 

Design objectives

The building has a new leasing tenant, who plans to use the space as offices available for lease. Consequently, it was necessary to upgrade the building’s façade, particularly focusing on the elevations facing the main streets. The interior public areas and restroom facilities were also renovated.

 

Redesigning the exterior shell

The building’s existing facade was cladded with layered aluminum panels- typical for office buildings designed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Additionally, the material adhered to a distinctly corporate colour scheme reflective of the property’s previous owners. As a result, it was considered essential to completely remove all existing coatings to create a contemporary shell capable of accommodating new, disparate companies. Conversely, the building’s existing paneling, framing, and sun protection systems, including external aluminium Venetian blinds, were deemed sufficient, and replacing them was considered economically unviable. Therefore, to preserve the integrity of the frames, the new facades were designed to precisely match the rhythm and dimensions of the existing panels. Those, in turn, were removed and repainted in a dark, neutral grey tone to allow the mass of the building to form the backdrop for a bolder architectural gesture.

 

Facade Morphology

The unique position of the building, its chaotic surroundings, as well as the need to update its external appearance, demanded a strong design intervention for its elevations, especially towards the main streets and the prominent junction of Papadiamantopoulou and Michalakopoulou streets.

To preserve the morphology of the existing exterior shell, a decision was made to construct a new perforated facade at a distance from the current one: a new suspended skin that underlines the building’s presence. The new design comprises a decorative grid composed of 30x70cm beams, with each beam spaced 70cm away from the existing facade.
These are arranged between two additional horizontal beams positioned either at the height of the first floor or below it, and at the height of the roof or above it. These horizontal beams frame the geometry and retain the balance of the composition. The placement of the beams on the grid aligns with the blind sections of the building’s sidewall and the midpoint of its existing openings to allow light inside the interior spaces and preserve the beautiful view- especially the one from Michalakopoulou street towards Lycabettus.

 

Façade Materiality and Lighting

The beams’ size is substantial enough to be noticeable from the street. However, to avoid conveying a sense of load-bearing elements, they are organized in a random pattern. This design gesture adds a sense of lightness to the composition and accentuates its decorative nature. The new skin is made entirely out of metal to avoid heat absorption, covered with dry wall, and painted white, contrasting the dark background. This grid composition is separated from the street level through the creation of a strong, horizontal element that surrounds the building at the level of the ground floor roof, also painted in the same white tone as the grid.

Finally, special emphasis was given to the exterior lighting. Subtle indirect light sources were used to highlight the new facade, creating an excellent aesthetic effect, especially during the night.