“Urban Window” for Buenos Aires
SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP), in partnership with Consultatio Real Estate, presented their project for Buenos Aires titled “Catalinas Rio”, an office building on the banks of the La Plata River that is designed to double as a center of activity and expansion for the Catalinas Norte business district. With a plethora of public green spaces and two trapezoidal buildings linked by walkways and green terraces, the project aims to create a new and vibrant identity for the district and the city as a whole. The city’s Finance District is experiencing an unprecedented period of expansion. Catalinas Rio will occupy a significant part of the city’s newest sector called “Catalinas Norte II.” The project is a part of a master plan to expand the city’s business district by transforming unused land abandoned by the old railroad companies that once operated along the banks of the Plata River. By building onto these old railroad sites, the project expands the city’s coastal edge and creates a new urban destination, ultimately improving the public space.
The building is designed as a vertical campus, a unique structure that connects the vitality of the urban plaza to the office spaces above. Together, the towers and the bridges connecting them form an “urban window” framed by the office spaces around them. Large surfaces of greenscape adorn the bridges, complementing the balconies that offer unobstructed views of the river and the cityscape. The terrace is strategically placed to make it functional year-round in all weather conditions.
In the interior of the buildings, the elements of sustainability and communal well-being converge to create an optimal working space. The buildings’ high-performance glass fixtures offer solar protection to prevent over-heating. The vertical flaps and horizontal screens change position throughout to allow natural light to enter the building. An improved air filtration system and network of water fountains complement the natural lighting system, making for a healthy and comfortable working environment. To top it off, the building is certified LEED® Gold. Construction is due to be completed in 2022.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
