Project Overview
This high-rise Conjunto Paragon hotel in Santa Fe, DF, Mexico, boasts a winding, S-shaped design.Precisely fabrication of the panels was the key to defining the unique shapes needed. Complicated geometry, curved panels, intricate medallions, cubic protruding shapes, and balconies called for high-quality manufacturing.
The 29-story building was sited on the highest ground in the recently developed area, making it a prominent landmark. Its massive size was slimmed visually with the undulating design, which blends the precast concrete panels with large windows that give expansive views of the landscape.
Precast Solution
The panels had to be vertically aligned with the façade’s harmonious curves while providing easy fabrication and installation of curved precast concrete elements. The panel shapes were optimized using three-dimensional modeling. A flexible-form casting system significantly reduced the number of molds needed, requiring only a few turns of nuts and bolts to adjust them to the next needed radius.
The panels were erected in a horizontal sequence, which led erectors to maintain close spacing between panels at an early stage of the project. This format released large sections of the façade for the placement of glass and protected crews working on interior finishes as each portion was completed.
The early close-in also allowed owners to offer the space to hotel chains before the interiors were finished. This, in turn, allowed the selected hotels to adapt interiors to their specific needs as each was constructed. Wind, site restraints, project height, the winding design, the protruding windows at the top floors, and the construction schedule all created challenges that could have only been met with the precast concrete architectural panels. |