272 Metal Fins Are Featured Throughout This New Commercial Building In Mexico City Designed By Belzberg Architects

January 9, 2018

Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Roland Halbe

 

Grupo Anima, among other developers, are aiming to regenerate the historic area of the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood in Mexico City, and as part of a 20-year vision to achieve this, they began collaborating with Belzberg Architects to create Rio Timber 29, a dramatic new commercial building.

 
Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Roland Halbe

To make the building stand out, Belzberg Architects added a fluid and habitable facade that’s made from continuous vertical fins that counteract the project’s otherwise rectilinear geometry.


Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Roland Halbe

Belzberg Architects explain, “Using digital design tools, digital fabrication techniques, and collaborating closely with our inter-disciplinary team, we created 272 unique, three-dimensionally curving aluminum fins that attach to the glazing and concrete slabs. Their triangular geometry allows, among other things, for the welded form to achieve the desired curvature without additional jigs or mold.”


This modern office building has a sculptural facade and a rooftop patio with plenty of seating options. #ModernBuilding #Architecture #RooftopPatio

Photography by Roland Halbe

All of the fins span one story, allowing them to be installed and look like one long vertical element. Due to the design of the building, some of the fins allow for one-meter deep to be created on the exterior, while on the interior, they carve out alcoves.


Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Roland Halbe

Here’s a closer look at some of the fins that travel from the exterior to the interior.


Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Roland Halbe

At night, lighting emphasizes the sculptural facade and shows off the curves that continue through to the inside of the building.


Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Roland Halbe

Here’s a look at the creation of some of the fins. The digital fabrication was completed in California to allow Belzberg Architects to oversee the process, and when needed, give them the ability to refine and adjust the design before delivering the fins on site.


Belzberg Architects have designed a modern office building that features 272 metal fins that create a sculptural facade and travel through to the interior of the building. #MakingOf #Facade #Architecture

Photography by Belzberg Architects | Project Team: Belzberg Architects – Hagy Belzberg (Principal-in-Charge), Brock DeSmit (Project Manager), Kris Leese (Lead Designer), Cory Taylor (Architect), Ashley Coon (Designer), Elizabeth Lee (Intern), Annie Mak (Intern) | Structural Engineer: Arup | MEP Engineer: Arup | Acoustical Consultant: Arup | Façade Consultant: Arup | General Contractor: Grupo Anima | Façade Fabricator: LNI Custom Manufacturing, Inc.