zaha hadid's first project in mexico is a housing complex in monterrey

zaha hadid architects has presented plans for their first work in mexico, a high-density housing project in monterrey. the brief originally called for 12 residential towers, but the london-based practice proposed an alternative low-rise design with 981 units arranged around three sides of the rectangular site.

residential units are arranged around three sides of the rectangular site
image © zaha hadid architects (also main image)

located in the huajuco canyon to the southeast of the city, the esfera city center residential project provides essential new homes for monterrey’s fast-growing population. straddled between the very diverse urban conditions of the adjacent eight-lane highway and low-density suburban housing developments, the proposal seeks to respond to the varied urban conditions of its context.

a communal park is positioned at the center of the site
image © zaha hadid architects

by incorporating the principles of CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) which include welcoming, interconnected public spaces popular with both neighbors and passers-by, the design offers increased levels of community safety, while simultaneously contributing to the project’s urban integration. with the inclusion of these public spaces at the perimeter of the building, the project engages with its context within the growing commercial center.

welcoming, interconnected public spaces are found throughout the design
image © zaha hadid architects

the project also includes a 30,000 square meter park with a café, gym and reading room, in addition to an amphitheater to be used for concerts. oriented towards the centrally positioned green space, each residence features a private balcony whose interlocking forms reference mexico’s vernacular architectural language. the scheme is set to be completed in three phases, with the first stage set to be finalized by 2018.

internal living accommodation features floor-to-ceiling glazing
image © zaha hadid architects

an exercise room is included as part of the development
image © zaha hadid architects

the project includes quiet zones for yoga and reading
image © zaha hadid architects

the site borders an eight-lane highway
image © zaha hadid architects

the scheme is set to be completed in three phases, with the first stage set to be finalized by 2018
image © zaha hadid architects

project info:

project: esfera city center, monterrey
client: citelis, organización ramírez
location: monterrey, mexico
date: phase one scheduled for completion in 2018
size: 981 residential units / gfa: 136,000 sqm

architects: zaha hadid architects (ZHA)
architectural design (ZHA): zaha hadid with patrik schumacher
project director (ZHA): juan ignacio aranguren c.
project architect (ZHA): andrés arias madrid
project team (ZHA): sofia amodio, pierandrea angius, megan burke, cristina capanna, gerry cruz, johannes elias, veronica erspamer, gianni giuffrida, marco guardincerri, soomeen hahm, lisa hofbauer, julia hyoun hee na, stefano iacopini, lisa kinnerud, alexandre kuroda, mariagrazia lanza, carolina lópez-blanco, milica pihler-mirjanic, sobitha ravichandran, kate revyakina, yitzhak samun, ricardo sosa-mejia, ana wang zuñiga, fei wang, fulvio wirz, paolo zilli.
local architect: BUDIC
project management: escala
structural engineer: fhecor ingenieros + alonso y asociados
services engineers: PGI engineering
quantity surveyor: leopoldo varela y asociados
lighting consultant: artec 3
landscape consultant: taller de operaciones ambientales (TOA)