Richard Meier & Partners Unveil New Aztec-Inspired Mitikah Tower for Mexico City

Mexico City's skyline will soon enjoy the addition of the <a href="http://www.richardmeier.com/www/#/practice/press/releases/archive/0/662/0/" target="_blank">Mitikah Office Tower</a>, an Aztec-inspired eco development designed by <a href="http://www.richardmeier.com/" target="_blank">Richard Meier &amp; Partners</a>. Slated for completion by 2014, the tower will boast an energy efficient and a high performance curtain wall, in addition to a number of other sustainable measures. LEED certification is anticipated for the mixed-use commercial, office and residential development, which will also feature an integrated conference pavilion and sky garden on the 19th floor, plus a sky bar and restaurant on the top floor.

The slender and elegant 34-story tower rises above a transparent and translucent building base and is part of a mixed-use master plan designed by <a href="http://www.pcparch.com/">Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects</a> and developed by IDEURBAN/IDCity from Mexico.

The project consists of commercial space, low-rise residential buildings, and a hotel and residential tower.

Design Partner-in-charge Bernhard Karpf comments: “Mexico City has always been among the most important cultural and commercial centers in Latin America.

The new tower will undoubtly contribute visual significance to the skyline of the city and to the neighborhood.

The design is inspired by a modern interpretation of Aztec forms.

The building's orientation and each facade are a reflection of the site as well as issues of sustainability, maximum efficiency and flexibility.

The south and east facades are composed of a continuous high-performance curtain wall modulated by subtle and sculptural folds, while the north and west elevations are composed by a curtain wall system with modular and orthogonal expressions that address views and proportions of the surrounding urban context.

Views and daylight are provided with floor to ceiling glass walls, but solar heat gain is tempered with low-E coatings and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frit" target="_blank">fritted glass</a>.

The efficient curtain wall system is the first line of defense against energy use and is just on part of the strategy in order to achieve LEED certification. The eco tower is expected to be completed in 2014.