Arup helps ensure tallest tower in Latin America is earthquake resistant

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Arup has disclosed it is currently working on five tall buildings in Mexico City, the most notable of which is the Torre Reforma, a mixed use building, which will be the tallest tower in Latin America. According to the tower’s architect Benjamin Romano, one of the greatest challenges has been in ensuring the building is designed for Mexico City’s high seismic activity. When completed in late 2015  the building will be able to withstand a 2500yr seismic event while achieving a life safety performance level; making it one the most secure buildings in the region. 

He said: “Arup has been indispensable in helping to transform my architectural vision into an efficient and buildable structure. They have provided innovative solutions to the complex seismic issues in Mexico City, and have been instrumental in helping the bidding contractors understand that Torre Reforma is not more complex than standard vertical construction, it just applies construction methods that contractors are familiar with in a new and different way.”

The 57-storey tower is a mixed-use project with approximately 45,000m² of floor space for offices, a conference centre, a sports facility, and retail space. It will feature an innovative architecturally exposed concrete core wall lateral system with sloping brace elements on the front façade to cantilever the building. When completed in late 2015, the US$100m tower also aims to be one of the greenest.

Having broken ground on 17 July 2013, Arup is also working with Teodoro Gonzalez de Leon Arquitectos on Torre Manacar. With 12 basement levels, superstructure construction for this 30-story tower is anticipated to get above ground in late 2014.

Also with Teodoro Gonzalez de Leon Arquitectos, Arup developed a structural scheme for Torre Pedregal 24 which cantilevers the front of the building nearly 60m over a historically listed pavilion by the famous architect, Vladimir Kaspe.

In the neighbouring block, Arup is working with architects Taller-G to design Punta Chapultapec, a slender 23m mixed-use tower next to Chapultapec Park. The narrow site and the need to set back from the adjacent Torre Mayor means that the structure is only 25m at its widest point, and tapers as it rises.

Across the street from Punta Chapultapec, Arup worked alongside architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and Legoretta+ Legoretta to develop an eccentrically braced mega-frame for BBVA-Bancomer Torre Ejecutiva that wraps around the tower’s perimeter, freeing the internal floor-plate and creating a ductile seismic resisting system