RSHP’s BBVA Bancomer Tower wins the RIBA International Award of Excellence 2018

The BBVA Bancomer tower in Mexico City is one of 20 international projects in 16 countries to have been given the RIBA Award of Excellence 2018, ranging from large urban infrastructure schemes to private homes; cultural destinations to civic spaces; educational buildings to places of worship.

Completed in 2016, the tower was built in collaboration between Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and Mexican architects Legorreta. The 50-storey building provides 78,800m2 of office and ancillary space can accommodate up to 4,500 employees.

RIBA judges stated, “The BBVA Bancomer Tower demonstrates an elegant response to a complicated site, both in terms of its urbanism and its solution to the complexities of tall buildings.”

There are sky gardens every nine floors that create outdoor space, acting as focal points for grouping working communities within the BBVA Bancomer culture while promoting a strong sense of community. Standing on the corner of Reforma, it has become a distinctive landmark on Mexico City’s developing skyline and interacts with both its immediate context and with that of the city, responding environmentally by minimising resource consumption, waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

"The form of this building is based on a rethinking of conventional approaches to office space. The design creates a new hierarchy of vertical communities or 'villages' with open areas where staff and visitors can meet and enjoy spectacular views across the city. It serves as a landmark building that provides a clear link between Chapultepec Park and the Paseo de la Reforma. The highly sustainable design incorporates a façade which draws on the heritage of Mexican architecture; the result is a reinterpretation of the distinctive texture of traditional 'celosia' screens. The building successfully reflects the beauty of LegoRogers' talents" - Richard Rogers, Senior Partner

"We are delighted to win the RIBA International Excellence Award 2018 for Mexico City's New headquarters for BBVA Bancomer. This is a celebration of the 21st Century workplace as a multi-layered, collaborative community. The building's distinctive sky gardens, the heart of the community, speak to the city around it and far beyond." - Andrew Tyley, Partner

"It is a great honor to be recognised by RIBA. The BBVA Bancomer Tower was a unique experience for all of us at LEGORRETA^®, not only for the architectural achievements it may have reached but because it was the product of a wonderful collaboration between two offices that was based in a great friendship and mutual respect. These projects represent what can be achieved when architects and engineers of different nationalities and backgrounds work together in the pursue of a common objective." - Victor Legorreta, Director and Partner at LEGORRETA^®

Prior to receiving this award, the BBVA won the “Office Building of the Year” 2017 award by ArchDaily, the bronze medal in the American Architecture Prize 2016 and a Silver Medal at the Bienal Nacional de Arquitectura Mexicana. It has also been certified LEED Platinum for its energy and environmentally-friendly features.