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Torre Reforma / LBR&A

• Curated by ArchDaily
• Architects: LBR&A
• Area Area of this architecture project Area:  89657 m²
• Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2016
• Photographs Photographs: Alfonso Merchand
• Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:   Aceros Corey , Alcopla , Amesa , Atlas Schindler , Cemex , Gerdau Corsa , Grupo Arca , Guardian Glass , Helvex , Tektil
• Architect In Charge:  Benjamín Romano
• Structural Design:  ARUP New York, Dr. Rodolfo Valles Mattox/ DITEC
• Mep Engineering Design:  ARUP Los Ángeles
• Electrical Engineering:  Uribe Ingenieros Asociados
• Plumbing Engineering:  Garza Maldonado y Asociados S.C.
• Air Conditioning Engineering:  DYPRO
• Systems Engineering:  Honeywell
• Sustainability Studies:  Civita
• Traffic Flow Studies:  Softtec, S.C.
• Elevators Flow Studies:  Van Deusen & Associates
• Wind Study:  Alan G. Davenport Wind Engineering Group; University of Western Ontario
• Facade:  HEG Diseño e instalación S.A. de C.V.
• Foundation:  CIMESA (Cimentaciones Mexicanas, S.A. de C.V)
• Robotized Parking:  Wöhr Parking Systems
• City:  Mexico City
• Country:  Mexico
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Text description provided by the architects. Located on Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s most renowned avenues, Torre Reforma is part of a cultural, historical, and financial district. It is a turning point for vertical urban growth in the megalopolis of Mexico City , having a 2,800 m2 ground site, extremely small for a high-rise building of roughly 87,000 m2.

Its shape, derived by the architectural-structural parti, takes into consideration many social, financial and environmental factors. The 57 story building, distinguished by its triangular form, is composed of two 246 meter high exposed concrete walls, resembling the form of an open book, closed by a third glass-façade-metallic diagrid, with a panoramic view to Chapultepec Park. Its façades allow for a versatile column free space and have a great impact on the reduction of energy consumption, shifting from an all-glass façade generation. The existing historical house on site is integrated, forming part of the main lobby. The commercial areas at ground floor and first basement allow for the street activity to unfold into the building. 

The building has an array of services that includes, sport facilities, open spaces and terraces, bars and restaurants, gardens, auditorium, and common meeting rooms.

In accordance to the actual importance towards mobility, Torre Reforma is very accessible and well connected to the urban infrastructure and services. Its strategic location is surrounded by important avenues such as Paseo de la Reforma , Avenida Insurgentes , the longest avenue in Mexico City , and Circuito Interior , an urban freeway connecting the city’s central neighborhoods. At ground level the sidewalks were expanded and made accessible for all users, giving priority to pedestrians rather than vehicles. The historical house was restored to recover its urban value, serving as a transition from a small scale at pedestrian level to a high rise building scale. The existing infrastructure includes two subway stations, transit buses, and multiple public bicycle stations.

Torre Reforma is one of the leading skyscrapers in a developing area where many others are yet to come.  Torre Reforma improved the visual quality of the city’s skyline as well as at street level for pedestrians. 

The solid concrete structural and architectural facades are influenced by Pre-Hispanic and colonial Mexican architecture where solid materials (concrete or stone) are predominant. 

The glass façade turns 45 degrees to face the best views of the city as well as slopes 14 meters over the historical house. The allowed height for the building is twice the width of the street in front of the property, in this case, Paseo de la Reforma. However, although there are façade height restrictions, the regulations applicable to the property allowed for a higher density. According to the Mexican norm, an imaginary line is traced at 1.80 meters in height from the opposite side of Paseo de la Reforma, passing through the highest point of the façade. The potential height of the building is the limit of the imaginary line. This allowed Torre Reforma to have 246 meters in height, and have a sloped façade starting at 200 meters in height. 

It is organized into 14 four-story clusters, buildings within the building, allowing users to interact on a larger scale with the city to a smaller scale within their workspace. In a city with high seismic activity, the concrete walls were designed to bend due to its openings, repeated every cluster along the tower, providing natural light to interior triple height gardens. These gardens are an extension from the horizontal public space at street level to a vertical axis, creating indoor micro spaces.

Considering the AIA 2030 Commitment for energy performance, Torre Reforma’s structural efficiency and architectural design has obtained the Platinum USGB precertification. The building envelope generated a great energy performance with a 24% reduction according to ASHRAE. The reduction of energy consumption is due to the façade-structural design: the concrete walls and the double layer glass façade with shades, allowing natural lighting in all office spaces. This drastically benefits the user by providing aesthetic and comfortable interior spaces for better performance. 

Rain and waste water is 100% reused in the water treatment plant mainly for bathrooms and the air-conditioning. Water tanks, located along the tower for more effective water system, rely on gravity rather than pump use, particularly in fire emergency. 

The building is designed to optimize the users flux within the building but also in relation to the city. Within the building, the elevators for Low, Mid, and High Rise are separate in order to optimize the different users but share the same shaft space for efficiency.  By an EEES System, elevators can be used during a fire due to pressurized shafts and refugee areas on each floor. The two robotic parking buildings for 400 cars have a low impact on the environment because no toxic fumes are emitted while parking and the space doesn’t need to be lit or ventilated. In order to have the least impact on neighboring streets, the underground parking has a third ramp that can adapt its direction: entrance in the morning and exit in the afternoon. 

Forming part of the property is an early twentieth century house that is historically protected. In order for the building to be economically feasible, the house was integrated into the main lobby and the space beneath was used for the foundation underground parking, and services. 

As a result, the house was moved. It was reinforced by thickening its walls and pouring a concrete slab underneath it which was placed on top of rails and moved temporarily 18 meters away from its original position. After the foundation was completed, the house was returned to its original position, and the underground levels were dug. The old, damaged limestone has been restored and is currently rented for retail space. 

Project gallery

Project location

Address: paseo de la reforma 483, cuauhtémoc, mexico city, mexico.

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• Sustainability

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Torre Reforma

Mexico City

© Alfonso Merchand

© Alfonso Merchand LBR&A

© Santiago Alonso

© LBR&A

© Terri Meyer Boake

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Architectural:

Above Ground

Below ground, official name.

Paseo de la Reforma 483

Structural Material

Concrete-Steel Composite

Energy Label

LEED Platinum BD+C: Core and Shell

Official Website

246 m / 807 ft

Floors Above Ground

Floors below ground, # of parking spaces, # of elevators, top elevator speed.

44,196 m² / 475,722 ft²

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Construction Schedule

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Structural Engineer

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Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

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Mexico’s Torre Reforma by LBR + A is A Sharp Convergence of Two Concrete Facades

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Overlooking the 686-hectare Chapultepec Park is a three-sided 57-storey skyscraper situated on Paseo de la Reforma Avenue in Mexico City . Around it, a metropolitan bursting with growth and a lot of seamless vegetation features several high standing modern buildings. Along the wide Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, a 246-metre high building stands with some sort of magnificence, as if to depict Mexico City’s status as a hub of architectural activity. LBR + A lead by Architect Benjamin Romano designed Torre Reforma to be a unique kind of tower.

In a neighbourhood with so much diversity, and containing the largest city park in the Western Hemisphere, Torre Reforma is now the tallest building in the city – at least until Torre KOI, a new 280-metre high skyscraper – is completed.

The lead architect, Romano, insinuates that this is only the beginning for skyscrapers in the city. Housing 89,000 square metres of floor area, the project is a mixed use development built to cater for offices and retail. In its design, the architects employed clusters. It was divided into four-storey clusters, 14 of them in total to emphasise the idea of having a building within a building. Each of the clusters has its own interior garden to foster the ideas of the vertical garden seen mostly in Jean Nouvel and Vo Trong Nghia’s projects.

The building whose footprint is only 2,800 square metres has a sculptural shape which the architects say was informed by several factors including environmental sustainability. Two concrete walls meet to form a sharp edge. The top of the tower has been chamfered to satisfactorily finish a great sculpture by emphasizing on the top triangular plane. The architects cut slits on the concrete facades to light up the gardens with natural daylight.

Inspired by Pre-Hispanic and Colonial Mexican architecture when solid materials were very common, the architects used concrete designed to slightly bend during an earthquake considering Mexico City’s proneness to earthquakes. The mechanism that allows the concrete walls to bend without breaking in periods of stress is enhanced by the presence of triple-height windows (located on every four storeys) that dissipate seismic energy.

On the third elevation, a double layered glass wall with a metal diagrid rises every four storeys with open-air terraces that have glass balconies. The glass wall is asymmetrical, and slightly bent at the centre to add a bit of unpredictability on a tower whose two facades are clean symmetrical concrete planes.

The glass façade features horizontal sun-shading elements that protect the interiors from the sun’s heat during the day. The building’s envelope and structure allows for column-free interior space which provides users with very flexible interior spaces.

This project was also as much a conservation project as it was a mixed use development. On site a property built in 1929 was integrated into the tower’s design to form part of the main lobby. To accommodate both the tower and the old historic house, the architects moved the house to provide a new foundation, then put the house back in place without any destruction.

The historic house was restored to recover its urban value, serving as a transition from a small scale at pedestrian level to a high-rise building scale.

Aside from office and retail spaces, Torre Reforma offers sports facilities, restaurants, bars and several meeting rooms. On the ground floor, LBR + A ensured that street activity goes on and opens into the building. A system to recycle rain and waste water has been incorporated into the project which has since earned LEED Platinum pre-certification from the US Green Building Council for its core and shell design.

Project Information Architects: LBR + A Lead Architect: Benjamin Romano Structural design: ARUP New York Location: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City, Mexico Photography: Alfonso Merchand

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The Tallest Skyscraper in Mexico Is Completed

By Geoffrey Montes

Photography by Torre Reforma

Soaring 800 feet at the heart of Mexico’s bustling capital city, Torre Reforma has taken the title of the country’s tallest building. Designed by Mexican firm LBR&A, in conjunction with engineering company Arup , the 57-story eco-friendly tower was built to endure the region’s violent seismic activity, with its concrete core and cladding meant to bend slightly in the event of a quake. “Torre Reforma will be able to withstand the full range of earthquake activity projected for a period of 2,500 years,” said Arup in a statement. The initial decision to clad two of the sides in concrete, unusual in skyscraper design, was inspired by the region’s architectural traditions of lining significant structures with stone.

Devised by Mexican architect L. Benjamín Romano, the triangle-shaped tower is the tallest in the country.

Also helping to stabilize the tower against environmental threats is its triangular floor plan, which gives it “an inherent tendency to twist when subjected to lateral loads and wind,” according to Arup. The distinctive shape, which includes a chamfered upper portion, maximizes column-free spaces and ceiling heights due to a program that groups elevators and stairways at the triangle’s apex. With almost half a million square feet of office space, the mixed-use tower will also include a sporting facility, retail shops, and a conference center. It has already earned LEED Platinum precertification thanks to a number of sustainable features, including a rain-and-wastewater recycling program and energy-reducing ventilation systems. The building’s reign as the country’s tallest won’t last long, however, with construction nearly complete on the 915-foot-tall Torre Koi, designed by VFO Arquitectos on the outskirts of Monterrey.

By Elizabeth Fazzare

By Fred A. Bernstein

By Rachel Davies

Torre Reforma

Zona Rosa & Reforma

This 246m (807ft), 57-story, wedge-shaped tower became Mexico City's tallest building when it opened in 2016, displacing the Torre BBVA Bancomer (235m/771ft) and Torre Mayor (225m/738ft).

Paseo de la Reforma 483

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Torre Reforma Mexico City Skyscraper

Torre Reforma Mexico City Skyscraper, Arup Tower Building Project, Design, Image

Torre Reforma Mexico City

Mexican Building Development – design by Arup / L. Benjamin Romano Arquitects (LBRA)

22 Jul 2016

Torre Reforma Mexico City Building

Design: L. Benjamin Romano Arquitects (LBRA) + Arup

Engineered by Arup, Torre Reforma, in Mexico City, is a Locus of Innovation

An instant architectural icon, a three-sided high-rise offers a new model for concrete construction in earthquake zones NEW YORK — With its distinctive triangular volume and soaring concrete walls, Torre Reforma makes an eye-catching addition to the skyline of Mexico City. To achieve this impact, Arup worked with L. Benjamin Romano Arquitects (LBRA) to ensure that the 57-story mixed-use building was not only striking in appearance, but safe in its performance—a particular concern in the seismically active location.

“Arup has been indispensable in helping to transform my architectural vision into an efficient and buildable structure,” said Benjamin Romano, principal of LBRA. “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 traditional construction methods, that contractors are already familiar with, in a new and different way.”

Tabitha Tavolaro, associate principal at Arup and project manager for Torre Reforma, said, “Building tall structures in Mexico City often means working in constrained conditions. Challenges can include small or irregular sites, coordinating diverse teams, and, of course, seismic hazards. In this project, we partnered with LBRA to create robust solutions that bring value to the client as well as the community.”

Arup’s innovations at Torre Reforma include:

An Aesthetic Structure. Romano’s design boldly departs from the norm not only in form, but in its merging of materials with structure. Arup devised pre-tensioned double-V hangers that brace the glazed façade and simultaneously create a signature visual identity for the building.

Because the architecture is so closely aligned with its material expression, the finish of the concrete is critical. Several design mixes were evaluated; the final choice flowed well and created a surface that’s free of honeycombing or flaws. The concrete was poured in increments of 70 cm, highlighting the subtle variations in color that occur naturally across multiple concrete pours.

The Core in the Corner. In conventional skyscrapers, vertical circulation is typically located in the central core of the building. At Torre Reforma, the elevators and egress stairways are contained in the apex of the triangle. This, paired with the long-span pyramidal floor trusses that allow plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems to be concealed within the structure, results in maximum ceiling heights and a column-free interior, facilitating unobstructed, dramatic views over adjacent Chapultepec Park and the city from every level.

Designed for Stability. Set in an area with a long history of significant seismic activity, skyscraper construction in Mexico City poses complicated engineering challenges. Because Torre Reforma is triangular in plan, the building has an inherent tendency to twist when subjected to lateral loads and wind, not to mention earthquake forces.

Arup applied a comprehensive time-history analysis to establish the performance of the structure under extreme seismic conditions and engineered a solution that is both locally appropriate and consistent with international best-practice designs for tall buildings. Torre Reforma will be able to withstand the full range of earthquake activity projected for a period of 2,500 years.

Green Goals. In addition to its structural innovations, the building offers extensive sustainability features. Pre-certified as a LEED Platinum Core and Shell project, Torre Reforma has multiple water conservation systems, including rainwater collection and grey-and black-water recycling plants. A combination of automated and passive ventilation work moderates interior temperatures throughout the structure. The tower’s two concrete walls also contribute to the energy efficiency of the building: unlike glass curtain walls, they reduce the cooling load by protecting the interior from direct sun without impacting the aesthetic views in the tenant spaces.

About Arup Arup provides planning, engineering, design, and consulting services for the most prominent projects and sites in the built environment. Since its founding in 1946, the firm has consistently delivered technical excellence, innovation, and value to its clients, while maintaining its core mission of shaping a better world.

Arup opened its first US office more than 30 years ago and now employs 1,300 people in the Americas. The firm’s employee-ownership structure promotes ongoing investment in joint research to yield better outcomes that benefit its clients and partners. Visit Arup’s website, www.arup.com, and the online magazine of Arup in the Americas, doggerel.arup.com, for more information.

Torre Reforma, in Mexico City image / information received 220716

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Torre Reforma – A forward-thinking masterpiece Mexico City, Mexico

Standing 246 meters tall, Torre Reforma not only changed the skyline of Mexico City but also redefined what a skyscraper could be in terms of design, sustainability, and safety. Built to withstand earthquakes, it won the International Highrise Award 2018/19 and was also awarded the prestigious LEED Platinum Certificate. We installed 29 elevators and four escalators in the mixed-use tower, which is home to offices, retail shops, restaurants, and public spaces. When it was completed in 2016, it was the tallest building in the country for a year, and it remained the tallest in Mexico City up until 2022 – but there’s much more to the building than just its height.

Project Stakeholders

• Architect: Benjamín Romano, LBR&A
• Main Builder: Fondo Hexa
• General Contractor: Lendlease / LBR&A
• Structure Engineering: ARUP

Challenges and client brief

• To build Mexico’s most sustainable building to date
• Ensure highest level of safety for a building in an earthquake zone
• Deliver excellent passenger experience throughout

Schindler solutions

• Energy-efficient vertical mobility solution orchestrated by Schindler PORT, & Schindler Lobby Vision
• Special OEO (Occupant Evacuation Operation) System implemented on-site
• Emergency Evacuation Elevator System designed for the building

Project highlights

In stark contrast to the standard glass-clad high-rises found around the world, the structural design of Torre Reforma is dominated by two massive concrete walls. Standing 246 meters tall, the building has been described as "a huge urban obelisk." Located on Paseo de la Reforma – a tree-lined avenue that runs through the heart of Mexico City’s financial district – the 57 floor mixed-use building houses offices, retail space, restaurants, as well as a sports facility and public spaces.

"Torre Reforma is a special building in many ways," says Andrea Alejandra Navarrete Salazar, our Project Manager for the skyscraper. "It was a unique engineering challenge that set the standards for sustainability, safety, and what could be done within a relatively small footprint."

Designed by local architect Benjamín Romano, the skyscraper was influenced by Pre-Hispanic and colonial Mexican architecture. Built on a 2,800-square-meter ground site – a small footprint for a high-rise building of roughly 87,000 square meters – Torre Reforma’s interior space is free of columns, providing tenants with flexible interior spaces.

The shape of the building was also influenced in part by a historic house that was already on the site – which is protected by the National Institute of the Fine Arts (INBA), tasked with preserving the country’s cultural heritage. To integrate it into the building, it first had to be moved, so that the new building’s foundations could be completed. To do this, a concrete tray was built under the original stone foundations of the historic building so that it could be moved out and then back into place, in one piece. It now forms part of the entrance lobby, with the tower cantilevered over the top of it. 

In 2019, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) named Torre Reforma one of "The 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years."

Award-winning sustainability.

Torre Reforma won the International Highrise Award 2018/19, with the judges describing it as "the one building that delighted both the structural engineers and the architects of the jury in equal measure as a masterful demonstration of a new approach to the high-rise."

In the morning, the ventilation windows automatically open to allow the building to breathe out warm air and naturally cool itself. Torre Reforma has its own water treatment plant and recycles 100% of its rain and wastewater – using it mainly in its bathrooms and air conditioning units, but also for its fire protection system. 

Innovative design and technology can be found throughout Torre Reforma – including its vertical mobility system. Our energy-efficient elevators and escalators, managed by Schindler PORT, helped Torre Reforma secure a LEED Platinum certification – making it the first building in Mexico to achieve the highest LEED rating for sustainable, green, low-polluting and low-emissions buildings. 

"Our team installed 29 elevators – including 14 Schindler 7000s – and four Schindler 9300 AE escalators to ensure the flow of people throughout the building always remains smooth, even during peak time," explains Andrea. Combined with Schindler Lobby Vision, our supervisory monitoring system that enables the integration of third-party applications, all the elevators and escalators in the skyscraper can be monitored via Torre Reforma’s building management system (BMS).

"With Schindler PORT and Schindler Lobby Vision working behind the scenes, you can be certain that traffic flow is optimized, so that elevator waiting times and energy usage are kept to a minimum," says Andrea.

Built-in safety measures

Torre Reforma was also built to withstand the forces of nature. Its concrete walls – the tallest exposed concrete walls of any building in the world – not only reach high upward, but also extend 60 meters below ground to supply additional support in an area prone to earthquakes. "Along the side of the building, there are triple-height windows every four floors that dissipate seismic energy," the architect explained. "They allow the concrete walls to bend when under stress without breaking."

These windows also help to split the building into 14, four-story clusters – creating buildings within the building. The clusters provide more intimate working environments for the tenants and are interspersed with the internal gardens that can be found throughout the skyscraper – adding to the natural feeling inside.

Torre Reforma is also proactively ready for other emergencies – it was the first project in Mexico to incorporate our state-of-the-art Occupant Evacuation Operation (OEO) equipment.

"The OEO system we implement in the building provides an extra level of security," explains Andrea. "It means that in the event of a fire, it’s safe to use the elevators to evacuate the building." This setup stops smoke, fire, and water entering hoistway, as well as providing emergency power to the elevators. So, people can be evacuated quicker and more safely – and fire services can also access the affected area more effectively to reduce the risk of further danger.

If a fire is detected, the OEO system automatically creates ‘pressurized shelters’ in the elevator lobbies. This helps to safely move people out of the ‘evacuation zone’ – which is defined as the affected floor/floors, and the two floors above – which are at the highest risk of fire spreading – and the two floors below – which are used by firefighters as a base camp from which they can extinguish the fire.

With OEO a building doesn’t require an additional exit stairwell – saving 18.5 square meters a floor – offering building owners the opportunity to configure the extra space for other uses and increasing rentable space.

Additionally, a special Emergency Evacuation Elevator (EEE) system was designed for the building – which allows elevators to be controlled remotely. With cameras installed on the top and the bottom of the elevator cars, the evacuation team can perform remote shaft inspections. "The EEE system allows emergency teams to assess the situation before entering the building, making it safer for everyone involved," says Andrea.

Refined global expertise

With its two massive walls connected in a ‘V’ shape, the triangular building stands like an open book facing south to maximize natural sunlight – while its double-glazed glass façade, with fixed horizontal shades on each floor, conserve energy by preventing overheating. The building’s elevators are located in the apex of the ‘V’ to optimize space and provide additional support to the shafts.

During the project, our team used Schindler Top Range Excellence (TREX) – our large project management philosophy – which was specifically designed to guide large projects​ through their entire life cycle from tender to handover. Built from years of experience, and drawing on insights from projects around the world, Schindler TREX provide a standardized set of best practices that enable major projects to be efficiently managed – all while improving quality, safety, and customer satisfaction.

"Using Schindler TREX allowedour team to execute and maintain a well-structured installation plan," says Alberto Peralta, our on-site Schindler TREX Supervisor. "Even though we were working in a relatively confined space, we were able to do so with confidence. The team did an excellent job, and the results speak for themselves."

Torre Reforma served as the launch pad for Schindler TREX in Mexico, allowing the team to successfully manage the complex project smoothly and efficiently. TREX has since been implemented with great success on many other projects around the country.

Ongoing collaboration

Since the building opened in 2016, we’ve continued to work closely with Torre  Reforma to ensure everything keeps running smoothly.

"We visit the site regularly and provide monthly check-ups," says Luis Daniel Sanchez Mosqueda, our Existing Installation Supervisor for Torre Reforma. "It’s always a pleasure to visit, it’s a project we’re very proud to be part of, and we have a very close relationship with the client."

In February 2023, to accommodate a request from one of Torre Reforma’s new tenants, our team helped extend the number of floors accessible via the high-rise elevators. The ‘four-story cluster’ had previously been served by the mid-level elevators, but the tenant wanted to have direct elevator access to their floors above as well.

"It really showed their adaptability," says Rogelio Torres, Torre Reforma's Building Operations Manager. "Since day one, the Schindler team has been involved. They’re a true partner in this project and care about the building as much as we do."

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Torre Reforma

Torre Reforma is a 245m-tall mixed-use building under construction at Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. The Reforma Tower will become the tallest building in Latin America, upon its completion in late 2015.

Mixed-use building

Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City

Estimated Investment

Construction started.

Torre Reforma is a 245m-tall mixed-use building under construction at Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. The tower will become the tallest building in Latin America upon its completion in late 2015. The skyscraper is developed by a joint venture of Capital Vertical Grupo Inmobiliario and Inmobiliaria Torre Chapultepec.

Arup was contracted to provide the structural design of Torre Reforma. LBR&A is responsible for the architectural design of the building. Ground breaking for the construction of the tower was held in 2008 and the works began in 2009. Lend Lease was contracted to provide construction management services during the pre-construction and construction phases. The Torre Reforma is being completed at an estimated cost of $130m, which is financed by Protego.

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The column-free triangular shaped structure is based on the piling of two pyramidal forms. The structure is supported by concrete walls on north and east sides. The sky lobby at the meeting point of the pyramids acts as a carry-over point between express and local lifts. It also provides tenants with spectacular views of neighbouring Chapultepec Park, and the city.

The crooked shape of the tower provides a significant expansion beyond the ground floor square footprint. The core and outrigger truss scheme was adapted to withstand heavy wind and seismic loads and to minimise the permanent gravity overturns. The scheme places the core at the nook of the bottom square near the centre of gravity. The steel mesh on the south-west façade provides stability for beams supporting each level.

Torre Reforma was designed using performance-based seismic design to withstand the high seismic activity in the Mexico City region. The building is located on a hill with good soil properties and is considered one of the safest towers in the region as it can survive a 2,500-year seismic activity.

Facilities at the mixed-use skyscraper

The 57-storey mixed-use building offers about 45,000m 2 of floor area accommodating offices, an auditorium, a sports facility, and retail space. The Torre Reforma also offers public spaces, restaurants, and other facilities. The lobby and retail areas on the lower floors will be followed by office spaces and a sky lobby. The office floors will continue until the machine rooms at the top of the building.

The parking facilities and building services systems are placed across 10 under-ground levels. The parking area can accommodate over 1,000 vehicles. Continuous movement of people between floors is ensured by high-speed elevators with a maximum speed of 6.8m/sec. The glass façades and sleek design of the tower ensure the flow of natural light to light interior spaces, while also allowing the building to be naturally aired during favourable climatic conditions.

Sustainable features

The sustainable design of the Torre Reforma is intended to cut down energy and water consumption as well as constructed mass to reduce the carbon footprint of the building. The proposed active chilled beam system will distribute chilled water through coils in the roof panels to cool the office floors. The system will yield up to 30% energy savings in comparison with conventional all-air system.

Arup offered a thermal energy storage system to minimise the electricity consumption during peak times. Other proposed sustainable features include wind power generation, grey water system, rainwater collection, and water reuse. The building is also fitted with automated controls to open its windows before dawn for allowing the flow of cool air into the building.

The sustainable features of the building help to achieve international LEED Platinum level of certification. The building is expected to set standards for sustainable design in Mexico and also become the biggest LEED Platinum-certified building in Latin America, upon its completion.

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Torre Reforma

LBR&Arquitectos, a firm founded in 1976 by Mexican architect Benjamín Romano, designs and builds architecture projects based on four defining principles: sustainability, structure, high technology and artistic integration. The firm is responsible for one of Mexico City’s tallest skyscrapers, the Reforma Tower (2016), built on the corner of Paseo de la Reforma and Río Elba. At 57 stories and 807 feet high, the tower’s delicate silhouette made a striking addition to the city’s skyline.

This book explores the process involved in designing and building the Reforma Tower, narrating how the architects navigated urban regulation in the center of a dense city and considerations of height, circulation, sunlight, wind, ventilation and most importantly, structure (the building is located in a seismic zone). Featuring photographs by Iwan Bann, this volume documents the Reforma Tower project from the first designs to the finished building.

First published by Thames & Hudson 

Order the book at Thames & Hudson or Amazon

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: Arquine (April 23, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 6079489430

ISBN-13: 978-6079489434

Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 1 x 12.5 inches

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Torre Reforma

Rising 57 stories, the striking, slender triangular form of the torre reforma — designed by lbr&a arquitectos under the direction of benjamin romano — is the tallest in mexico city., af finn macleod.

With a population fast approaching 22 million people, Mexico City — the largest in North America — is quickly claiming its rightful place as a leading global city. As its ancient skyline begins to turn contemporary, many of the world’s leading architects have begun to contribute to the city’s renaissance. A handful of international household names, including Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, SOM, and David Chipperfield Architects, have recently completed projects in Mexico City. Far outpacing their global counterparts, however, Mexico’s arsenal of homegrown firms are rejuvenating the landscape with designs reflective of the country’s rich history of architectural excellence.

Rising dramatically above Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma — the most desirable address in the city’s massive downtown core — Torre Reforma appears as if a precisely cut diamond were planted in the heart of the city. Completed in 2016, the tower claimed the title of the tallest in the city from the Torre BBVA Bancomer, designed by Mexican firm Legorreta + Legorreta in collaboration with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

A four-sided triangle, Torre Reforma jags suddenly downward from its highest point, with a steep 46-meter sloped roof joining two concrete curtain walls to a glass curtain in a dramatic fashion. Inspired by colonial Mexican architecture but rooted firmly in the contemporary style, the prism-like tower is clad on two sides in a tiled facade of concrete panels and the third in glass and a steel diagrid. More than an experiment in ostentatious architecture, the building’s facade serves a practical function, sheltering it from the powerful Mexican sun while allowing daylight to permeate the tower without compromising its internal climate.

Challenged by a particularly small site within Mexico City’s dense urban fabric, the architects chose a triangular plan in order to preserve and expand public space along Paseo de la Reforma while maximizing daylit space throughout the tower. Positioned at the corner of the site, the tower’s glass wall cuts a diagonal along the site to allow pedestrian access while preserving and incorporating a century-old villa original to the site. Inside, every floor enjoys panoramic views inside and out, with a series of atria arranged between floors to continue the life of the city skyward.

Addressing the challenge of designing a modern tower within Mexico City’s historic district, the tower encompasses a diverse array of programming to meet the needs of the neighborhood. Torre Reforma serves as a vertical village, incorporating dozens of floors of office space, meeting rooms, an auditorium, a shopping center, a multi-story fitness center, bars, restaurants, gardens, and public plazas and terraces. Overlooking one of the world’s largest urban parks, Chapultepec Park, each of the floors enjoys expansive views and bright interior spaces, with sweeping glass-walled balconies providing opportunities to view the city from its highest point.

Visually stunning and environmentally responsible, the tower is LEED Platinum and USGBC Platinum certified, due in large part to its sophisticated solar shading and curtain wall systems, which reduce its energy consumption by 24%. Torre Reforma recycles 100% of its rain and wastewater, reusing it in building systems throughout the tower. Underground, an automated parking system houses 400 cars, significantly reducing its subterranean footprint in the city’s core. Addressing Mexico City’s seismic risks, the interlocking concrete facade and structural steel diagrid are designed to mitigate reverberations from earthquakes, ensuring safety for those inside.

Once home to Luis Barragan and Frida Kahlo, Mexico City’s face has begun to change. Respectful of its history and reflective of Mexico’s progressive values, Torre Reforma embodies the ongoing evolution of North America’s most populous city. At once encompassing historic preservation, futuristic cladding, modern structural design, and sophisticated environmental features, Torre Reforma serves as a benchmark for sensitive, intuitive design in one of the world’s most dense and ancient cities.

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This is our most popular Moscow tour that includes all the most prominent sights. You will become acquainted with ancient Russia in the Kremlin, admire Russian art in the Tretyakov Gallery, listen to street musicians as you stroll along the Old Arbat street, and learn about Soviet times on the Moscow Metro tour.

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A Week in Moscow

This tour is a perfect choice for those who wish to get to know Moscow in depth. One of the highlights of this package is the KGB history tour which gives an interesting perspective on the Cold War. You will also have time for exploring the city on your own or doing extra sightseeing.

Weekend in Moscow

This tour is a great way to get acquainted with the capital of Russia if you are short of time. You will see all the main attractions of the city, the most important of which is the Kremlin - the heart of Russia. The tour starts on Friday and can be combined with a business trip.

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Russia's capital has so much to offer, from the Kremlin and the Metro to the Old Arbat street and the Tretyakov Gallery. Besides these sites, you will also visit a fascinating country estate which today is quite off the beaten path, Gorky Estate, where the Soviet leader Lenin spent the last months of his life.

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Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

Tours to Moscow

Our Moscow tours are land only meaning that you arrange your own air travel to Russia and our expert staff meets you at the airport and handles everything else from there. Our online Airline Ticket booking system offers some of the most competitive rates to Russia available on the web so if you need tickets, please visit our Russian air ticket center . Rest assured that you will be taken great care of on one of our Moscow tours. Express to Russia has a fully staffed office in Moscow that will help to make your visit fun, informative and unforgettable. Please remember that of all these tours are private and can be adjusted to your taste. You can add, replace or skip some sights; you can add more days to the package or cut the tour short. Our specialists will be glad to help you create the tour of your dreams!

Moscow, a City Like No Other

Moscow is Russia’s largest city with a population of between 12 and 13 million. It is also Europe’s largest city and when you visit Moscow, you can feel it. The layout and architecture of the city is eclectic, ranging from crooked, ancient streets and alleyways to wide, bustling boulevards, from medieval churches to Stalin skyscrapers and to modern, glass buildings towering over everything and of course in the center of it all is the Kremlin and the magnificent Red Square. Moscow is also home to a fantastic, efficient and very beautiful metro system – each station having its own special design. In fact, Express to Russia’s Moscow metro tours and excursions are some of our most popular attractions that we offer. On our Moscow tours, you will see this and more.

Moscow Tours centering on Russian History

Moscow has a long and interesting history and has been the capital of Russia in many of its different iterations – capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow , the Russian Empire and of course the Soviet Union (who could ever forget the Soviet Union?). Moscow, was founded in the 12th century by Prince Yuri Dolgaruki (Yuri of the long arms – he really did have long arms!). From that time on, it was home to the Russian Tsars until Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg in 1703. The city has survived invasions and sieges from the Mongols, the Tartars, the Poles, Lithuanians and Napoleon but has always persevered. Our Moscow tours will enlighten you on this great history and give you insights into Muscovites and their unique culture. Our Moscow tours show you what the city is like today but also brings to life the past. Moscow never seems to sleep and is bursting with energy. A Moscow tour with Express to Russia is truly the best way of getting to know Russia’s largest and most vibrant city.

Frequently Asked Questions From Our Travelers

What is the best time to visit moscow.

Any time of year is fine depending on what you plan to do. Summertime is pleasantly warm, ideal for exploring the city and its vibrant atmosphere, but Moscow will be much busier and accommodation is more expensive. Winter can be quite cold but beautiful nonetheless, and this is unproblematic if you intend to spend most of your trip in museums and galleries. There are also various festivals and events organised throughout the year. For more information about the best time to visit, read our guide

How many days are enough in Moscow?

If you plan your itinerary strategically and aren’t averse to a packed schedule, you can cover Moscow’s main sights over a long weekend. Most popular attractions are in the city centre, and the Moscow Metro allows you to cover much ground in a small amount of time. Ensure that your accommodation is fairly central and book tickets in advance, so that you can make the most of your days. For an informative and well-organised day out, check out our Moscow day tours with options to suit all interests.

Do they speak English in Moscow?

As Russia’s capital city, tourists are well accommodated in Moscow. There should be English-speaking staff in restaurants, bars, hotels, shops and attractions in tourist hotspots, and there are also English-speaking tourist police. Transport services have English translations on their maps and English announcements via intercom; alternatively, order taxis from the Yandex Taxi app (Russian Uber), though it’s unlikely that your taxi driver will speak English. If you get stuck and cannot communicate, it’s fine to use Google Translate.

Is it safe to travel to Moscow?

It is no less safe to travel to Moscow than to any European city if you exercise common sense and look after your belongings. As with every city some regions can be more unsavoury than others, but no tourist attractions are located there. The traffic in Moscow is notorious, so exercise caution when crossing roads. Do not take unlicensed taxis; book in advance or take public transport, which is widespread and perfectly safe. If you encounter any problems, look for the special tourist police who can help you. For more information, read our guide about staying safe in Russia .

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