ICON San Angel

ICON San Angel is a multi-family residential project with two towers, one on each side of the Anillo Periférico, a beltway running through much of the Valley of Mexico with an elevated second floor. The first tower, at number 2008, is 115 meters high with 184 apartments; the other, at number 1977 across the avenue, is 165 meters high and has 188 apartments. While Periferico 2008 was under construction, the design of Periferico 1977 was assigned.

This project engages in compelling dialogue with Periferico, as well as with its urban context. It is located close to San Ángel, a historic and colonial district. These, in turn, coexist with the modern high office towers and apartments located on Periferico.

Volumetrically, the buildings were solved using parallelepipeds; a pair of subtractions generates two large voids in each tower where triple-height green spaces were installed that, at the same time, separate a series of terraces that were strategically designed to accommodate around 200 trees per tower.

Periferico 2008 is oriented east-west with views of San Angel, while Periferico 1977 is oriented north-south towards the emblematic Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatll volcanoes and Mexico City’s tallest buildings.

Thanks to a reduced footprint design of 583.3 m2 (Periferico 1977) and 905.8 m2 (Periferico 2008) respectively, it was possible to preserve the maximum construction area allowed for each property at 21,000 m2, which made it possible to address the regulatory requirement of a 15-story orthogonal building with a mere 20% of open space per property to evolve into two towers, one with 30 stories and the other with 44 stories, with 50% and 56% of open space respectively. This separates them from the street and their surroundings to keep the complex private and peaceful.

The project improves the lives of its inhabitants by connecting them with more open areas and greenery than other vertical residential complexes that are common in the city. Added to its relationship by framing one of the most important avenues in the city, make ICON San Ángel a new architectural and urban icon in the city.