richard meier & partners designs first project in colombia

richard meier & partners designs first project in colombia
all images courtesy of richard meier & partners

‘vitrvm’, the first project in colombia by richard meier & partners features two 13-story high buildings that are to host residences in bogotá. buffered by a ravine, the angular shape of the structure is a defining addition to the skyline. the ‘vitrvm’ complex, with a total of 36 apartments, is placed by the septima avenue with views to the city and nestled near property belonging to one of colombia’s largest seminaries, ‘seminario mayor’. the landscape of the site includes the greenery from both the surrounding mountains as well as the prominent chico park.

render from the eastern approach of the street level

the development stands as singular forms but share many similarities in their relation. tower 1 is designed with folded planes and carved surfaces, and is more recognizable in its prism shape. composed of two apartments on each floor, the suites are arranged with four bedrooms, that are organized in accordance to maximizing daylight.  tower 2 is relatively rectangular, defined by two solid planes with a distribution of rooms, comprised with one apartment per floor. ten grand units are fashioned with three bedrooms and an additional studio. these spaces are positioned towards the north, with full exposure to the landscape of the historic seminary and the distant ranges of the chingaza national park.

street approach from the west with distant mountains situated behind ‘vitrvm’

car lot and lobby welcomes residents with materials chosen to be contextually appropriate to the colombian identity

living room of typical tower 1 residence

living room and dining area of tower 2 residence

master bathroom with bright white tiles and bulbous tub 

‘the interiors of vitrvm will be complementary to the architectural concept incorporating a palette of rich materials with subtle textures and colors. natural materials such as stone and wood and earth tones of smooth and textured surfaces will be in dialogue with the light color palette of whites, grays and glass,’ says richard meier.

a lobby located on the second floor joins the two masses where a multipurpose room, indoor swimming pool, and fitness center reside one floor below.

jorge estrada, owner and executive director at icono urbano, comments, ‘when we started our vitrvm project, we were looking for an architect who could embrace and respect the unique characteristics and qualities of our site. it is very gratifying for us at icono urbano to develop this important project with the prestigious firm of richard meier & partners architects. their expertise, dedication and design quality is reflected in the project. the sales of the apartments have been very strong even at an early stage of the project and we have no doubt that vitrvm will become a reference project for colombia.’

the reception area at the second floor with subtle textures and earth tones that bleed into the garden spaces

an indoor swimming pool provides a tranquil environment separated from the bustling city of bogotá

a roof top deck overlooks the city and the historic architecture of the seminary

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project info:

design principals: richard meier + dukho yeon
project manager: guillermo murcia
project architect: greg chungwhan park
project team: joseph desense, elizabeth lee, sharon oh, alex palmer, nathan w. petty, hans putt                    
associate architect: icono urbano s.a
program: residential and amenities
building height: 52m
floors: 13
floor area: 14,000 sm total – 11,300 sm above ground
major materials: aluminum curtain wall and metal panel, glass and stone