Torre Bicentenario
Dutch uber-firm OMA, headed by Rem Koolhaas, has created this concept in Mexico City to symbolize the coming two hundred years of Mexico’s independence. There are many layers of symbolism in this building, from Mayan pyramids to which part of the building controls the park and which part controls the city, to the fact that the bulge of the building is below the centre height, and that it all happens on a relatively small footprint. Most of all, in this building there is a barely contained energy that seems near to release and it may be that this is what Torre Bicentenario represents.
Tagged: Mexico City
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Anybody could roll down the list of bands that Mexico City’s Carlos Icaza is in, or credit him for his incredible work with the Vampi Soul people, but until you have met this brilliant, record collecting, drum-battering-anomaly in person, you have only read into a small semblance of what Icaza is all about. When I first met him, I had no idea who he was. He commented on a record I was playing at a bar and then a week later, my friends and I hadn’t missed a single gig he played in Chicago, including the loft party we all spun together the following Saturday. I have been addicted to this mix that he posted and it doesn’t even compare to his live sets. Who knew so many soul standards sounded twice as funky recorded in Mexico in the 60s.
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Condesa DF is an uber-hip, boutique hotel in the heart of Mexico City’s stylish, tree-lined neighborhood of the same name. Housed in an architectural landmark building dating from 1928, the hotel and its restaurant exude style, energy, and creativity. Occupying the ground floor of an airy, high-ceiling open atrium is the buzzing restaurant and bar, where splashes of bright turquoise cut through minimalistic white, black, and brown tones. Read more
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The Danes are renowned for their considered and subtle design. However, in these times of change, they must feel they need something with this selection of a bridge building as the winner of a recent architectural competition in Denmark. The American architect Steven Holl designed this building with a pedestrian bridge that links two sides of the harbour in the distinctly low-rise Copenhagen. Read more
Hamburg’s music and glass ice sculpture
Since the beginning, architects have been faced by the challenge of housing the ever unpinnable idea of music. The challenge here is the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg, Germany. Basel-based architects, Herzog and de Meuron have created an ephemeral glass tent-like structure perched on top of an existing heavy modernist abandoned warehouse. The warehouse will be composed mainly of parking and back of house, while the glass structure incorporates concert halls, restaurants, bars, apartments and a luxury hotel. Clearly, this is a tremendously exciting alteration and addition to an existing site and building, with this new ice sculpture reflecting the surrounding changing environment and the soaring notes within. Completion is scheduled for 2010.
YOU'RE SAYING (2)
Katriane said | 21 January, 2009
This project was indeed cancelled, due to corruption of city officials (at the time of the proposal), building restrictions and irregular funding. Although officially cancelled in 2007, another project similar to this, dubbed the Torre Bicentario II, is in the works.
It is reported to be completed by 2012, a year after the 200 year anniversary of Mexico’s independence. The architect, Hector Tagle Nader, is working with the developer, Group Adelac, both thought to be of Mexican origin.
The completed structure will have 6 underground levels, a hotel, restaurant, and offices. It will be 70 stories high and will be the forth highest building in America and the tallest building in Mexico City and Latin America (hovering at 225.6 m).
The estimated cost of this building would be around US$800 million, partly due to the massive amount of security measures included. It will be equipped with the latest seismic shock absorbing equipment due to the high amount of seismic activity in that area.
HAVE YOUR SAY
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I got to check out Extra Golden the other night at the Floristree in the H & H Building in downtown Baltimore. Despite a bill of heady, contemplative, experimental music that preceded the DC-based band, the crowd was chomping at the bit to see them when they finally hit the stage well past 1am. It’s still cold and rainy here in Charm City, but these guys made it feel like summer with their sunny blend of Kenyan benga music and guitar-driven psych rock.
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simius said | 22 November, 2008
this project was cancelled