Inbursa HQ

The Grupo Financiero Inbursa Headquarters is a new 25,500 m2 blue glass building. The site is the sum of various small tracts of land purchased over several years. The program required administrative offices, space to exhibit the art collection, a cafeteria, a multi-use space, and parking areas. The building stands on the Paseo de las Palmas, one of the most exclusive areas in Mexico City, surrounded by vertical office towers and wealthy residential neighborhoods. We wanted the building to contrast with its urban context. Since code restrictions dictated that most of the construction mass had to sit below grade, the facade acquired a primary role in achieving a strong urban presence. After much experimentation, we concluded that using color would be the most successful method. Colored glass projects a strongly saturated surface when viewed from the outside, but is transparent when seen from the inside. The size of the windows is determined by the importance of the offices within, and they are laminated to offer greater security and reduce both noise and solar radiation. The blue color of the building is representative of the bank, and the rational architecture helps economize in all areas.