Alfonso Merchand

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International Facade Forum 2023: 15 Lectures from Mexico City Available Online

Marking its first hybrid (online and in-person) edition, the 3rd International Facade Forum 2023 will take place on April 26. Broadcasting from Mexico City, the event will feature 15 lectures by international speakers under the academic direction of Marshall Academia de Fachadas (Bill Marshall and Karina Tarrisse) and organized by the Sarzabal agency (Hernán Barbero Sarzabal and Maui Cittadini), alongside Daniela Ruiz de Chávez, who is managing the organization in Mexico.

Concrete Architecture: 20 Outstanding Projects in Mexico

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Concrete Architecture: 20 Outstanding Projects in Mexico - More Images+ 18

Concrete, a material commonly used in the construction industry, is made of a binder combined with aggregates (or gravels), water, and certain additives. Its origins reach back as far as Ancient Egypt, when the construction of large structures created the need for a new kind of material: one which was liquid, featured properties of natural stones, could be molded, and communicated a sense of nobility and grandeur. 

Behind the Scenes at the 2018 International Highrise Award

One of the world’s most important architectural prizes for tall buildings, the International Highrise Award is presented every two years to the project that best exemplifies the criteria of future-oriented design, functionality, innovative building technology, integration into urban development schemes, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

Awarded by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM), the honors this year went to the Torre Reforma in Mexico City by L. Benjamin Romano, celebrated for its intelligent structural design in response to the prevailing problem of earthquakes in the city.

Torre Reforma Wins the 2018 International Highrise Award

Torre Reforma Wins the 2018 International Highrise Award - Image 4 of 4
Torre Reforma. Image © Alfonso Merchand

The office building Torre Reforma in Mexico City has won the prize for the world’s most innovative high rise awarded by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM). One of the world’s most important architectural prizes for tall buildings, the International Highrise Award is presented every two years to the project that best exemplifies the criteria of future-oriented design, functionality, innovative building technology, integration into urban development schemes, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

Torre Reforma Wins the 2018 International Highrise Award - More Images

Torre Reforma by Benjamín Romano Among the Finalists for the International Highrise Award 2018

Torre Reforma by Benjamín Romano Among the Finalists for the International Highrise Award 2018 - More Images+ 2

The IHA is considered the world's most important architectural prize for high-rises. It is aimed at architects and developers whose buildings are at least 100 meters tall and were completed in the last two years. The jury consists of architects, structural engineers, real estate experts, and architecture critics. They evaluate the nominated projects based on the following criteria: future-oriented design, functionality, innovative construction technology, integration into the urban context, development schemes, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. This year, the five finalists chosen from 36 nominees across 15 countries have finally been announced; among them is Torre Reforma, designed by Benjamín Romano.

These are the 10 tallest buildings in Latin America

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Humanity has always been obsessed with pushing its limits, setting records only to break them time and time again. Consequently, our cities' skylines have always been defined by those who hold power in any given era: once it was churches, then state institutions, and in recent decades, private skyscrapers have arisen to remind us who can reach the highest—literally.

Do you know what the tallest building in Latin America is? Specialized organizations like the CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) have established parameters to objectively measure a building's height, discounting antennas and other additions used to tack on extra meters. Let's take a look at what the CTBUH says about the tallest skyscrapers in Latin America.

This list was last updated in July 2018.

Benjamín Romano: "I Focus on Improving the Building"

Visiting Mexico City several times in recent months enabled me to get to know a number of leading architects there. In the process, I was in turn directed to other architects that were new to me, whom I then discovered were, in fact, the leading and most revered architects in the country according to the local architectural community. I am particularly referring to Alberto Kalach and Mauricio Rocha, whose interviews were published in this column last year, and Benjamín Romano, whose name came up when I asked a number of architects to cite their favorite building from recent years in Mexico City. Along with the absolute favorite, Vasconcelos Library by Kalach, another structure stood out: Torre Reforma, a 57-story office tower, the tallest building in the city. The following conversation with Romano, its architect, took place inside this unusually powerful and inventive structure.

Benjamín Romano: I Focus on Improving the Building - More Images+ 28

Torre Reforma / LBR&A

Torre Reforma / LBR&A - Exterior Photography, Skyscrapers, Facade, Cityscape
© Alfonso Merchand

Torre Reforma / LBR&A - More Images+ 39

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Mexico City, Mexico
  • Architects: LBR&A
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  89657 m²
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2016
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Atlas Schindler, Aceros Corey, Alcopla, Amesa, Cemex, +5

CTBUH Names Winners of 2016 Tall Building Awards

The Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat have announced the winners of the 15th edition of the CTBUH Tall Building Awards. From over 100 submissions, the best buildings from four regions – the Americas, Asia & Australasia, Europe and Middle East & Africa – were selected, along with recipients of the Urban Habitat Award, the Innovation Award, the Performance Award and the 10 Year Award. The CTBUH will pick a global winner from the regional selections later this year.

The towers were chosen by a panel of architects from world-renowned firms and were judged on every aspect of performance, looking in particular for “those that have the greatest positive impact on the individuals who use these buildings and the cities they inhabit.”

Read on for the list of winners.

Tres Picos Tower / LBR&A

Tres Picos Tower / LBR&A - More Images+ 17

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Ciudad de México, Mexico
  • Architects: LBR&A
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2011
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  MPSystems, Atlas Schindler, CYVSA, Estructuras Diva, Honeywell, +1

Kínder Monte Sinaí / LBR&A

Kínder Monte Sinaí / LBR&A - Kindergarten
© Alfonso Merchand
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Mexico City, Mexico
  • Architects: LBR&A
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  3755 m²
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2013
  • Professionals: DANHOS, VAMISA + DITEC

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