T400
4 URBAN DWELLINGS
POLANCO MX

A three-level concrete perforated volume floats over a 12x35m. site. Three single level apartments plus one three-storey dwelling. 

in progress...

MIRADOR GRILL, Roma MX
in progress...

A conversion of an eclectic late Neoclassical house in Mexico City (circa 1930) into a Cocktail Lounge, Restaurant and Mirador Grill. The Mirador Grill overlooks the neighbourhood surroundings and Mexico City skyline in the background.

A floating deck covered with a tensile canvas structure create a double level space for the MIRADOR GRILL.

The central core of the structure is the concrete volume that forms the new elevator well.

A steel structure supported by the elevator volume forms the wooden deck frame. The upper steel frame holds the tensile canvas roof.  

The floating structure acts as a lamp-roof and "mirador" on top of the existing house.

House in Roma MX.

Fyodor Schechtel, probably the largest figure in Russian Art Nouveau, built his own house in neoclassical style. 1900-1920.

the HOLCIM AWARD entry,completed...!

100 VERTICAL PARKING GREEN BLOCKS FOR MEXICO CITYproject in progress...!

G55

>GUERRERO 55 @MINA / CIUDAD DE MÉXICO / MX

ARKITEKTSTUDIO_luisvicenteFlores

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G55

First application as REAL BUILDING, the GUERRERO 55 project is in advance phase of design. This case use RECYCLED CONSTRUCTION LUMBER as screen in front facade, RE-USED BILLBOARD CANVAS forms top "macro-shader". The "UMBRELLA" is a regular steel framework that suports a floating "hiperbolic paraboloid array"...

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G55

RECYCLED BILLBOARD CANVAS is an altenative low cost "waste" material that can produce high quality architectural componenets...

NATURADOS _the vertical parking green blocks 

NATURADOS are more than car parking buildings, NATURADOS is SOCIAL PHYSICAL SPACE wrapped inside vertical gardens. These new urban components integrate in single architectural structures different activities of urban life. Based on the need for car parking space, a new architectural "gender" that offers mixed use space for citizens and vertical gardens for the city...

Mexico City –arround 18 million people and several million cars- does not have a “public” car parking system.  NATURADOS is established on top of an existing already functional network owned by COPEMSA. Present facilities are just empty lots where cars are parked on poorly paved street level surface.  As the city desperateley  requires a great number of parking spaces people is forced to use these basic facilities. The idea is to to insert a new type of urban component that retains the present use mixed with a range of complementary spaces. These structures contain retail space and services plus different sorts of community facilities assambled into these green modular blocks. NATURADOS are multilevel buildings wrapped with vegetation. Different scale new generation SOCIAL PHYSICAL SPACES based in the need for car parking will become dynamic spots for city life. This strategy ensures both, realism and use of multiple proven locations within the city structure. According to preliminary estimates the number of car spots will be MULTIPLIED BY SIX. COPEMSA holds arround 70,000 car spots in 100 different sites. Projection is 420,000 car spots plus complementary spaces in SAME 100 sites. NATURADOS is a radical realistic upgrade operation that goes far beyond the basic original requirements. NATURADOS ARE MUCH MORE THAN CAR PARKING BUILDINGS...

Still in early stages, a major improvement is being developed: COPEMSA has planned to bring electric vehicles (cars) into the mexican market. This would mean NATURADOS may include re-charging facilities...

G55_NATURADOS_01 is the first application as a REAL BUILDING of the NATURADOS concept. The CONCEPTUAL design has been released as a DESCRIPTIVE and ABSTRACT proposal contained in http://www.arkitektstudio.com.mx/iScroller_NATURADOS/NATURADOS.html . The actual architectural characteristics of each green block –shape, height and layout- depends on the context and the zoning. Complementary uses of each piece are defined according to location and comprehensive analysis of social and economic characteristic of the neighborhood. Nevertheless, all cases contain the basic FEATURES of NATURADOS:  first one to three levels for spaces such as retail, free acces internet cafes, recollection of recyclable materials, etc. A number of storeys for car parking, and one or two top levels for community "green space” activities such as roof farming, sports centers, assamby space, gyms. and swimming pools,  etc.

NATURADOS _the vertical parking green blocks 

NATURADOS are more than car parking buildings, NATURADOS is SOCIAL PHYSICAL SPACE wrapped inside vertical gardens. These new urban components integrate in single architectural structures different activities of urban life. Based on the need for car parking space, a new architectural "gender" that offers mixed use space for citizens and vertical gardens for the city...

Mexico City –arround 18 million people and several million cars- does not have a “public” car parking system.  NATURADOS is established on top of an existing already functional network owned by COPEMSA. Present facilities are just empty lots where cars are parked on poorly paved street level surface.  As the city desperateley  requires a great number of parking spaces people is forced to use these basic facilities. The idea is to to insert a new type of urban component that retains the present use mixed with a range of complementary spaces. These structures contain retail space and services plus different sorts of community facilities assambled into these green modular blocks. NATURADOS are multilevel buildings wrapped with vegetation. Different scale new generation SOCIAL PHYSICAL SPACES based in the need for car parking will become dynamic spots for city life. This strategy ensures both, realism and use of multiple proven locations within the city structure. According to preliminary estimates the number of car spots will be MULTIPLIED BY SIX. COPEMSA holds arround 70,000 car spots in 100 different sites. Projection is 420,000 car spots plus complementary spaces in SAME 100 sites. NATURADOS is a radical realistic upgrade operation that goes far beyond the basic original requirements. NATURADOS ARE MUCH MORE THAN CAR PARKING BUILDINGS...

Still in early stages, a major improvement is being developed: COPEMSA has planned to bring electric vehicles (cars) into the mexican market. This would mean NATURADOS may include re-charging facilities...

G55_NATURADOS_01 is the first application as a REAL BUILDING of the NATURADOS concept. The CONCEPTUAL design has been released as a DESCRIPTIVE and ABSTRACT proposal contained in http://www.arkitektstudio.com.mx/iScroller_NATURADOS/NATURADOS.html . The actual architectural characteristics of each green block –shape, height and layout- depends on the context and the zoning. Complementary uses of each piece are defined according to location and comprehensive analysis of social and economic characteristic of the neighborhood. Nevertheless, all cases contain the basic FEATURES of NATURADOS:  first one to three levels for spaces such as retail, free acces internet cafes, recollection of recyclable materials, etc. A number of storeys for car parking, and one or two top levels for community "green space” activities such as roof farming, sports centers, assamby space, gyms. and swimming pools,  etc.

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CONCEPT

100 VERTICAL PARKING GREEN BLOCKS +... for a better environment and a comfortable city life...

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CONCEPT

100 VERTICAL PARKING GREEN BLOCKS +... for a better environment and a comfortable city life...

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CONCEPT

100 VERTICAL PARKING GREEN BLOCKS +... for a better environment and a comfortable city life...

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G55

More than just a "SHADER", the roofspace generated by the "BILLBOARD PARASOL" is suitable for community activities such as small scale concerts, sports area, assembly space, etc...

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G55

More than just a "SHADER", the roofspace generated by the "BILLBOARD PARASOL" is suitable for community activities such as small scale concerts, sports area, assembly space, etc...

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G55

More than just a "SHADER", the roofspace generated by the "BILLBOARD PARASOL" is suitable for community activities such as small scale concerts, sports area, assembly space, etc...

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G55

RECYCLED BILLBOARD CANVAS as custom horizontal shader...

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G55

RECYCLED BILLBOARD CANVAS as the third slaba is different. As rain water is collected and stored, this level is an exposed concrete slab shaped as an extense "dish" and a "floating" deck made of permeable panels. Below this panels, the "dish" is leveled to drain water down to the basement tanks. Panels remain strictly horizontal...

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G55

RECYCLED BILLBOARD CANVAS as the third slaba is different. As rain water is collected and stored, this level is an exposed concrete slab shaped as an extense "dish" and a "floating" dech made of permeable panels. Below this panels, the "dish" is leveled to drain water down to the basement tanks. Panels remain strictly horizontal...

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G55_NATURADOS_01

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G55_NATURADOS_01 The main structure is a steel framework formed by columns and beams. Each labeled structural member is supplied with joints required for bolt assemby. The welding and cutting operations are performed under controlled environmental conditions at the workshop. This allows a clean and rapid construction work that minimizes pollution, traffic blocking and risks...

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A wide range of recycled materials can be used as "screen" for facades. G55_NATURADOS_01 front screen is made with re-used construction lumber producen on site. The third slab and foundations are made of poured concrete, construction will produce lumber waste for the facade screen... 

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G55_NATURADOS_01

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Innovation and transferability - Progress

Set with a medium budget, NATURADOS integrate passive and active design resources and technologies into a straight forward CONCEPTUALarchitectural model. Each particular case will produce a unique piece that preserves the system master features. The actual selection on uses combined in each site will produce innovative space compositions

1. Up to 70% of the envelope is vegetation that shades interior car parking space and allows naturally cooled ventilation.

2. On site electricity generation will reduce impact on city networks.

3. Adequate mixed uses will provide green space for citizens and green points like recyclable and/or harmful materials recollection.

4. The MODEL is scalable and tranferable. Architectural and engineering defining features can be replicated although each piece acquires specific characteristics from location and site conditions and context.

5. Rain water is collected and stored for "drip" irrigation during dry season.

6. Very simple devices (perimetral gardens, re-used materials shaders, carefull design and construction planning, etc.) will yield great improvements in climate control conditions of the building.

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Ethical standards and social equity - People

NATURADOS contribute to fill city gaps with efficient green parking.  Although the system is business oriented, the proposal includes space for people. Vertical gardens together with services create dynamic points that produce a safer urban texture. Furthurmore, green design has direct possitive effects on the local community and environmental benefits over larger areas.

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Environmental quality and resource efficiency - Planet

Planet Earth is quite large, no matter how GREEN would and architectural intervention might be, these are only small actions that contribute to an overall cultural change and make the local world better. In this respect, NATURADOS are excellent architectural products with real positive effects in the neighborhoods and high value cultural significance.

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-----Economic performance and compatibility - Prosperity

These mixed use buildings are assembled with a different combination of spaces according with social and market analysis of expected users and surrounding population. If adequate use mixes are set in appropiate locations, business opportunities for retail spaces and other services may grow exponentially.

Versatility is the key for adaptability. Seen as a long term real estate strategy, NATURADOS is a high value. The architectural settings are basically neutral to open the way for multiple changes. The whole space can be converted into a different type of building like a small scale business center or a high end neighborhood sports center. If necessary, the structure can be dismantled and even re-used in a different location to give space for a new construction. High performance and ample compatbility based on simplicity, versatility and austerity make these new urban components real social and economic values.

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Contextual and aesthetic impact - Proficiency

Far from superficial architectural tics, G55 is a stunning piece by its own merits. Born from primary needs of urban life, its architecture shows its contemporary nature. It is what it is. This straight-forward elegance makes the building become a "communicative device" that reveals how planning and design turns urban tension into highly attractive dynamic spots.

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