Avenida Central is the most beautiful street in the city not only because of the annual blossoming of its big Jacaranda trees but also because of its avant-garde urbanism. Developed in the late 60’s, Chapultepec Norte neighborhood is located 3km east of downtown Morelia and contrasting with the colonial urbanism and architecture of the historic center, some Modern ideas were stated in this area.
Project name: Avenida Central Building
Architecture: Emilio Alvarez Abouchard Arquitectura
Website: www.alvarezabouchard.com
Facebook & Instagram: @alvarezabouchard
Location: Morelia, Michoacán. México
Area: 400 m2
Completion: 2019
Collaborators: Rodrigo Delgado, Estela Casillas y Kim Lima
Photography: Dane Alonso
However, the uniqueness of this street comes from its wide sidewalks and its thick landscape parkway, two important concepts that slows traffic and create an environment suitable for pedestrians and bicycles.
For us, architecture was an excuse to revalue these urban concepts and include other ideas of the ‘New Urbanism’ through a mixed-use building.
The square shape of the property let us place the building next to the sidewalk to create an immediate relation between pedestrians and architecture. On the ground level, the building sets back in both of its large sides to create an outdoor terrace on the sidewalk and to relegate the parking to the rear.
The Dermatology Center program is develop in the next two levels letting natural light illuminate all of the areas through the U-Glass façade. The third level sets back in all of its sides creating a rooftop to enjoy the skyline of Morelia including the 1700´s pink limestone cathedral towers.
Universal Accessibility was another concept of the project and we decided to make a statement of the elevator tower making it out of glass blocks and calling it ‘la tour de verre’. Furthermore, the lift cabin is illuminated by night and its path is visible from the street.
Emilio Alvarez Abouchard
Emilio Alvarez Abouchard founded his architecture studio in 2017 and has completed various projects in Mexico such as the X-Ray Facility and the Avenida Central Building. Prior, he collaborated with architects Manuel Cervantes Céspedes CC Arquitectos and Bernardo Gómez-Pimienta bgp arquitectura in Mexico City; and Gilberto L. Rodríguez GLR Arquitectos in Monterrey. He earned his architecture degree from ITESM in Monterrey, Mexico; and attended to ETSAM in Madrid as a visiting student where he took part of the Cátedra Blanca CEMEX leaded by the Spanish architect Alberto Campo Baeza.
