2022
MCHAP
Manuel Dublan
PRODUCTORA DF
Mexico City, Mexico, Mexico
2021
AUTOR PRINCIPAL
Carlos Bedoya (Design Architect)
AUTOR CONTRIBUYENTE
Ruy Berumen (Architect), Alejandro Ordoñez (Architect), Natalia Echeverri (Architect), Daniela Diaz (Architect), Diego Velazquez (Architect
CLIENTE
Reurbano (Rodrigo Rivero Borrell)
FOTÓGRAFO
Onnis Luque
OBJETIVO
The existing two-story house was fully rehabilitated, restored, and repurposed as apartments that enjoy generous high ceilings with mezzanine sleeping areas in several units. The original staircase connects the first two levels. Towards the street, the added commercial spaces create an active and lively complex that contributes to city life. Since the building restores and re-uses a house with protected architectural heritage, the project is exempt from the city’s parking requirements, and therefore, ample bicycle parking was integrated, promoting the use of alternative modes of transportation.
The historic building has been enlarged with new floors that are set back from the street, maintaining a friendly and approachable urban street front. The new floors were designed to establish a respectful dialogue between the original house and the new building while providing large protected terraces for the occupants. The upper floors are connected by a new sculptural staircase that floats over the central courtyard and is painted in the same blue color that was discovered in the details of the original house. The apartments extend into the interior courtyard, expanding circulation spaces and generating private outdoor areas for each unit. Duplex units occupy the top two floors, which connect directly to rooftop terraces with generous 360-degree views over the city.
CONTEXTO
This project was made in collaboration with ReUrbano, a group of entrepreneurs and developers who are dedicated to reviving historical and architecturally significant buildings. They have a bold vision to combine the richness of the past with contemporary architecture to create sustainable mixed-use projects that enhance the neighborhoods where they are situated.
They aim to have a positive impact on urban regeneration and revitalization and to foster a sense of belonging in the surrounding community. The mixed-use building, Manuel Dublan, is situated in the historic Tacubaya neighborhood of Mexico City. It merges commercial space on the ground floor with residential above and is seamlessly integrated into a late 19th-century house. Although the neighborhood has faced socioeconomic challenges, it has a rich history and an excellent location in the city.
The original layout of the house, with its central courtyard and staircase, as well as the high ceilings and blue decorative details, was the inspiration for the design of this adaptive reuse project. Seventeen new apartments and two commercial spaces have been integrated into the building, contributing to the densification and reactivation of this undervalued Mexico City neighborhood. The project was carried out with sensitivity to its historical context, and the result is a unique and beautiful space that honors the past while embracing the future.
ACTUACIÓN
Today, a lively housing and retail complex is now home to people who appreciate the value of living in neighborhoods that were once overlooked and underutilized. These buildings have the potential to be transformed into quality housing that align with the current reality of our lives.
The project features a diverse range of apartment types, accommodating various users of different ages, ranging from singles and couples to families of three or four. The central courtyard, with its impressive tree, the promenade created by the various stairs within the complex, and the spacious outdoor terraces integrated into the circulation areas, inspire interaction among users, fostering a true sense of community within the building.
Because the complex has no parking, it promotes the use of public transportation, bicycles, scooters, and other modes of transportation. This contributes to the reduction of vehicular traffic in the area, lowers emissions, and fosters a more sustainable environment.
For the commercial spaces that face the street, the developers are careful to select tenants who can generate commercial activities that serve not only the residents, but also become a destination for people to visit the neighborhood, contributing to its reactivation and revitalization.
