The complexity of this project arises from the fact that it is on the roof of a building on the Historic Center of Mexico City, where construction is very much regulated for preservation purposes. Since it did not interfere with any existing historic building, we took the conscious decision to build in a clandestine fashion in order to avoid the red tape of permits, reviews and polemic. The process of construction involved bringing in material into the site at night to avoid inspectors and building in a quick and generic fashion, almost avoiding the complexity of details.
The project consists of an intervention on the existing second level of a mediocre mid-twentieth century building, and a new piece sited on the rooftop. The lower level, formerly used as a bath house, was basically cleaned out and reorganized as an office space for approximately forty people. The depth of the space and the slenderness of the preexisting columns were emphasized by inserting a new MDF floor and false ceiling, flanked by white plastered walls. The work with the MDF, which is a result of previous experimentation in other bookstores and furniture results in an efficient an unexpensive alternative to other floor finishes. A luminous polycarbonate screen constitutes a dividing vertical element. Within this space a series of boxes operate as the collective workstations.
On the rooftop a preexisting structure was demolished to make room for a steel and glass box which houses three offices opening into interior patios. The box is inserted into the only remaining section of the building. The other half of the roof is left open for an open-air terrace. The façade is resolved with fixed glass panes in syncopated rhythm. New skylights covered in onyx were opened to bring in a diffuse light into the interior of the lower space creating a series of objects in the terrace which light up at night.
(*)
This project appeared on europaconcorsi home page slideshow dedicated to mexican architecture. The series was realized in cooperation with Derek Dellekamp. We thank him for his help, kindness and professional advice.
