orre Reforma / LBR&A

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Torre Reforma / LBR&A

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© Alfonso Merchand
 + 39
SKYSCRAPERS
•
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
 Architects: LBR&A
 Area: 89657 m²
 Year: 2016
 Photographs:Alfonso Merchand
 Manufacturers: Aceros Corey, Alcopla, Amesa, Atlas Schindler, Cemex, Gerdau Corsa, Grupo
Arca, Guardian Glass, Helvex, Tektil
MORE SPECS
Text description provided by the architects. Located on Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s
most renowned avenues, Torre Reforma is part of a cultural, historical, and financial district. It is
a turning point for vertical urban growth in the megalopolis of Mexico City, having a 2,800 m2
ground site, extremely small for a high-rise building of roughly 87,000 m2.

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© Alfonso Merchand
Its shape, derived by the architectural-structural parti, takes into consideration many social,
financial and environmental factors. The 57 story building, distinguished by its triangular form,
is composed of two 246 meter high exposed concrete walls, resembling the form of an open
book, closed by a third glass-façade-metallic diagrid, with a panoramic view to Chapultepec
Park. Its façades allow for a versatile column free space and have a great impact on the reduction
of energy consumption, shifting from an all-glass façade generation. The existing historical
house on site is integrated, forming part of the main lobby. The commercial areas at ground floor
and first basement allow for the street activity to unfold into the building.

The building has an array of services that includes, sport facilities, open spaces and terraces, bars
and restaurants, gardens, auditorium, and common meeting rooms.

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© Alfonso Merchand
In accordance to the actual importance towards mobility, Torre Reforma is very accessible and
well connected to the urban infrastructure and services. Its strategic location is surrounded by
important avenues such as Paseo de la Reforma, Avenida Insurgentes, the longest avenue
in Mexico City, and Circuito Interior, an urban freeway connecting the city’s central
neighborhoods. At ground level the sidewalks were expanded and made accessible for all users,
giving priority to pedestrians rather than vehicles. The historical house was restored to recover
its urban value, serving as a transition from a small scale at pedestrian level to a high rise
building scale. The existing infrastructure includes two subway stations, transit buses, and
multiple public bicycle stations.

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Diagram
Torre Reforma is one of the leading skyscrapers in a developing area where many others are yet
to come. Torre Reforma improved the visual quality of the city’s skyline as well as at street
level for pedestrians.

The solid concrete structural and architectural facades are influenced by Pre-Hispanic and
colonial Mexican architecture where solid materials (concrete or stone) are predominant.

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© Alfonso Merchand
The glass façade turns 45 degrees to face the best views of the city as well as slopes 14 meters
over the historical house. The allowed height for the building is twice the width of the street in
front of the property, in this case, Paseo de la Reforma. However, although there are façade
height restrictions, the regulations applicable to the property allowed for a higher density.
According to the Mexican norm, an imaginary line is traced at 1.80 meters in height from the
opposite side of Paseo de la Reforma, passing through the highest point of the façade. The
potential height of the building is the limit of the imaginary line. This allowed Torre Reforma to
have 246 meters in height, and have a sloped façade starting at 200 meters in height.

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Section
It is organized into 14 four-story clusters, buildings within the building, allowing users to interact
on a larger scale with the city to a smaller scale within their workspace. In a city with high
seismic activity, the concrete walls were designed to bend due to its openings, repeated every
cluster along the tower, providing natural light to interior triple height gardens. These gardens
are an extension from the horizontal public space at street level to a vertical axis, creating indoor
micro spaces.

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© Alfonso Merchand
Considering the AIA 2030 Commitment for energy performance, Torre Reforma’s structural
efficiency and architectural design has obtained the Platinum USGB precertification. The
building envelope generated a great energy performance with a 24% reduction according to
ASHRAE. The reduction of energy consumption is due to the façade-structural design: the
concrete walls and the double layer glass façade with shades, allowing natural lighting in all
office spaces. This drastically benefits the user by providing aesthetic and comfortable interior
spaces for better performance.

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© Alfonso Merchand
Rain and waste water is 100% reused in the water treatment plant mainly for bathrooms and the
air-conditioning. Water tanks, located along the tower for more effective water system, rely on
gravity rather than pump use, particularly in fire emergency.

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© Alfonso Merchand
The building is designed to optimize the users flux within the building but also in relation to the
city. Within the building, the elevators for Low, Mid, and High Rise are separate in order to
optimize the different users but share the same shaft space for efficiency. By an EEES System,
elevators can be used during a fire due to pressurized shafts and refugee areas on each floor. The
two robotic parking buildings for 400 cars have a low impact on the environment because no
toxic fumes are emitted while parking and the space doesn’t need to be lit or ventilated. In order
to have the least impact on neighboring streets, the underground parking has a third ramp that
can adapt its direction: entrance in the morning and exit in the afternoon.

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Section
Forming part of the property is an early twentieth century house that is historically protected. In
order for the building to be economically feasible, the house was integrated into the main lobby
and the space beneath was used for the foundation underground parking, and services.

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© Alfonso Merchand
As a result, the house was moved. It was reinforced by thickening its walls and pouring a
concrete slab underneath it which was placed on top of rails and moved temporarily 18 meters
away from its original position. After the foundation was completed, the house was returned to
its original position, and the underground levels were dug. The old, damaged limestone has been
restored and is currently rented for retail space.

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© Alfonso Merchand
Recommended Products
Inkiostro Bianco
Wall Paneling - Motivo
ULMA Architectural Solutions
Ventilated Facades on Building in Pamplona
Studco
Wall Stop Ends - EzyCap
EGGER
Laminates
Jansen
Windows - Janisol HI

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Seiring dengan pertumbuhan populasi dan urbanisasi yang pesat, kota-kota besar di seluruh dunia
menghadapi tantangan serius dalam hal penggunaan energi, manajemen air, dan dampak lingkungan.
Meksiko City adalah salah satu kota dengan tingkat polusi udara yang tinggi dan tantangan lingkungan
lainnya. Torre Reforma adalah respons terhadap kebutuhan akan bangunan yang dapat membantu
mengurangi dampak negatif kota.

Perkembangan teknologi dalam desain arsitektur dan konstruksi telah memungkinkan pembangunan
bangunan yang lebih efisien dari segi energi dan sumber daya. Dalam hal ini, Torre Reforma
memanfaatkan teknologi seperti lampu LED hemat energi, kaca berlapis ganda, dan sumber energi
terbarukan untuk mencapai efisiensi energi yang tinggi.

Pemerintah dan badan regulasi di berbagai negara telah memperkenalkan aturan yang mendorong
praktik bangunan hijau. Di Meksiko, ini mencakup persyaratan untuk memperoleh sertifikat LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) sebagai bukti bahwa bangunan memenuhi standar
tertentu dalam hal keberlanjutan. Torre Reforma memperoleh sertifikat LEED Platinum, yang
merupakan pengakuan tertinggi dalam kategori ini.

Kesadaran masyarakat tentang isu-isu lingkungan semakin meningkat, dan ini telah menciptakan
permintaan yang lebih besar untuk bangunan yang lebih berkelanjutan. Investor, pengembang, dan
pemilik bangunan sering kali melihat nilai jangka panjang dalam investasi yang berfokus pada
keberlanjutan.

Pemilik dan pengembang proyek Torre Reforma mungkin memiliki komitmen terhadap praktik
pembangunan berkelanjutan dan ramah lingkungan. Mereka mungkin melihat ini sebagai bagian dari
tanggung jawab sosial perusahaan mereka atau sebagai cara untuk membedakan bangunan mereka di
pasar yang semakin kompetitif.