Bosques de las Lomas in Mexico City was conceived as a Residential district within a forested area. The clumsy architectural development has deforested the hills, transforming the forest into rooftops, streets and concrete platforms with gardened areas, draining their rainwater into the municipal sewer system, reducing the natural water infiltration into the soil.
Rethinking The Future Awards 2024
First Award | Architectural Innovation of the Year (Built)
Category: Architectural Innovation of the Year (Built)
Studio Name: LBR&A
Design Team: Director: Benjamín Romano / Team: Adriana Pérez, Olga Romano
Area: 1,023 sqm
Year: 2022
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Consultants:
Installations: Garza Maldonado, Uribe Ingenieros|
Construction: LBR&A
Structure: Vamisa
Lighting: Luz + Forma
Bioclimatic: Ecostudio
Façades: HEG
Marble: ARCA
Carpentry: TDC
Photography Credits:
Frank Lynen | @frank_lynen
Jaime Navarro | @jaimenavarros_estudio
Render Credits: Not apply
Other Credits:
The property adjoins to a federal reserve land, deforested due to the architectural development and the mismanagement of the authorities.
When we were invited to visit the BCH73 site, we found a pre-existing volcanic stone structure, conceived as a containment stone wall that leveled the upper part of the property, leaving half of the site 30 meters below the road, the neighbors, and their boundaries. The presence of the federal reserve to the east, the pre-existence of the Retaining wall, The Regulations compliance, as well as the Program itself, helped us take the Architectural Party decision, conceptualizing it as a diaphanous cantilever block, surrounded by interesting current and future visuals (when the implemented ecological actions mature), with a clear division of the server and served space.
Our traditional holistic way of working led us to the understanding of a cantilevered architectural-structural piece, with protected and ventilated facades, with Energy conservation and generation actions, (reaching the Net-Zero factor), with a water and ecological awareness towards the environment, obtaining a calm and diaphanous interior space (programmatic requirements of the project), surrounded by light, natural air, with open and protected visuals, and a great quality of life inside. The Net-Zero factor was achieved by the combined use of the Energy Foundation Piles supported by a Heat pump (solar powered), by proper Orientation, Ventilation, and Protection towards the environment, as well as the adequate Materiality of the Construction. In terms of water actions, a biodigester system was installed that processes wastewater to irrigate the federal area, as well as the infiltration of the rainwater to the subsoil to improve the conditions of the flora and fauna on the mistreated forest area.
As part of the reforestation, it was decided to plant endemic species such as the Tepozán, the Moctezuma Pine and Avocado trees, in addition to other arboreal individuals that had been born naturally on the preexisting plataform of the abandoned property. With great excitement, we learned that a Cacomixtle (endangered mexican species) was found a few days ago, wandering through the federal zone. For the construction process, the prefabrication of the structure was implemented, which was launched 20 meters above the ravine without affecting the already battered forest area.
