Torre Bicentenario
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| Torre Bicentenario | |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pedregal 24, Molino del Rey Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico City |
| Status | On Hold |
| Groundbreaking | late 2007 |
| Constructed | 2007-2010 |
| Opening | November, 2010 - January 2011. |
| Use | Commercial |
| Roof | 300 m ( official ) 350 m ( unofficial ) |
| Top floor | 295 m |
| Floor count | 70 |
| Floor area | 390,000 m2 |
| Cost | US$ 610 million |
| Companies | |
| Architect | Rem Koolhaas |
| Structural Engineer |
Arup |
| Developer | Grupo Dhanos |
| Owner | Grupo Danhos, Pontegadea |
The Torre Bicentenario (Bicentennial Tower) was a supertall skyscraper project planned for construction in Mexico City. If built, at 300 meters (984 feet) tall, it would surpass the Torre Mayor as the holder of the title of Tallest Building in Latin America. However, such title is uncertain, as Costanera Center's main tower in Santiago, Chile, is reaching the same height. And though both heights are handled as "a minimum of 300 meters for each tower", Torre Bicentenario would have had a roof height of 300 m., while Costanera Center`s main tower's last floor tops at 258 m. Both towers, however, will be surpassed when "Los Faros de Panamá", in Panama City, Panama, reaches 346 m. in late 2011. Torre Bicentenario was officially canceled, as announced by the local government and the involved investors on September 28, 2007. However, some facts indicate that the tower might be built, but not to be completed on the scheduled date.
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[edit] Name and design
The inauguration date was planned to be September 16, 2010, which is the day of the 200th anniversary of the Mexican War of Independence, hence the building's name. The building was designed by renowned Pritzker Prize winner Rem Koolhaas, who took inspiration from the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza. Of its 70 floors, about 85% were being planned for offices, and the rest to commercial public services such as restaurants, auditoriums and a convention center.
The tower would have featured an interior atrium, starting on the 15th floor and ending way up to the 40th floor. This in order to allow air and light to flow freely inside the tower and providing natural light to some inside offices. There was also a skygarden planned where the two pyramids meet.
Arup was responsible for the tower's engineering. The 300-meter tall tower would have stood on a rocky site, with a low-conductivity for seismic waves.
[edit] Controversy
Controversy began the same day the project was announced, as it was expressed by the district administration that current regulations imposed a limit of 3 floors for new buildings in the area. Nevertheless, the project had an irregular backing from Mexico City's Government and it was expected that the regulation would have been changed only to accommodate this particular building, without having a real master plan of urban regeneration for the area. Regardless, the INBA (Institute of Culture and Arts) declared ( as of August 13th, 2007 ) that the building that stands on the Torre Bicentenario's projected site, known as Super Servicio Lomas, is a catalogued building with relevant artistic value as it was built by Vladimir Kaspe in the 1940s in a revolutionary and functional model which represents the beginning of a stage in the evolution of architecture, and opposed to its demolition. Finally, all the irregularities and controversies that revolved around the tower, such as the suspicious deals between Grupo Dahnos and Mexico City's Government, the complete opposition of the neighbors of (Las Lomas district) and the Mayor of the Delegacion (Borough) Miguel Hidalgo, Gabriela Cuevas and the INBA, the planned underground parking lot below part of Chapultepec Park, among others, led to the on hold status of the project, which has been confirmed by both the Mayor of the city and Grupo Dahnos.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Torre Bicentenario project page at OMA, Rem Koolhaas' firm
- Official site in Spanish
- The tower on Arup's website
[edit] Sources
- "Construirán en México la torre más alta de Latinoamérica", El Universal, July 23, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-23. (Spanish)
- "Incumple predio para Torre Bicentenario con requisito de uso de suelo", El Universal, July 23, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-23. (Spanish)
- "Modificará GDF uso de suelo para construir Torre Bicentenario", El Universal, July 23, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-23. (Spanish)
- "Buscará INBA impedir construcción de Torre del Bicentenario", El Universal, July 23, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-23. (Spanish)
- "'Tiembla' la Torre Bicentenario", Reforma, July 23, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-23. (Spanish)
