This distinctive office building repositions BBVA's work environment for the 21st century, while introducing public realm improvements that contribute to the revitalization of a formerly industrial district.
Rising 135 meters, the Operations Center raises the bar for commercial development in Mexico’s capital and raises the profile of BBVA Bancomer in Latin America. SOM’s design accommodates the transformation of the company’s operational structure from a traditional, hierarchical model to a more horizontal, collaborative organization.
As part of a planned development, the Operations Center relates to its dense urban context through massing and scale. The building’s visual dynamism contributes to the area’s pedestrian character, while creating an interior environment that supports productivity.
The Operations Center contributes to the revitalization of the Parques Polanco neighborhood, a formerly industrial district. Located next to a verdant open space, the tower provides a commercial anchor for the neighborhood’s mixed-use master plan. The project has spurred improvements to the public realm, and residential and retail development has increased in the surrounding area.
The building is expressed as bundle of volumes, shifted where they intersect. Conceived as a “vertical city,” it is filled with amenities including cafeterias, lounges, outdoor terraces, and meeting spaces to reinforce a sense of community.
The interior programming of the facility is based on the Global Interior Design Standards that SOM created to convey the company’s core brand ideas. The workplace model contains four primary components, each designed to enhance collaboration, agility, and experience: Individual Work Settings, Collaborative and Confidential Work Settings, Support Spaces, and Business and Client Centers. In addition, the standards put in place a global procurement strategy, which establishes the criteria for global fixtures and finishes in accordance with local manufacturing, installation, and maintenance recommendations.
As one of four BBVA facilities to implement these standards, the Operations Center accommodates the transformation of the company’s operational structure from a traditional, hierarchical model to a more horizontal, collaborative organization. With open offices and shared, interactive spaces, the building provides opportunities for informal meetings and collaboration.
Certified LEED Gold NC, the Operations Center elevates the level of building quality and performance in Mexico City’s commercial marketplace. A host of energy- and water-saving features are integrated in the design. Its sophisticated glass facade is wrapped by a screen of staggered vertical louvers that are calibrated to the angle of the sun, in order to reduce solar heat gain while maximizing views and filtering daylight.
