The Polanco neighborhood continues to reinvent itself, as a result of its excellent location, ongoing development, and variety of zoning regulations. The master plan and architectural design for the extension to the Moliere Dos22 building was entrusted to Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, which was responsible for the original design of this iconic mixed-use building, which first opened in 1997.
Following analysis of a number of schemes, the chosen design considers the building’s adaptation to new requirements and the new context. Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos believed it was fundamental to maintain the original concept and form of the project. The master plan anticipates the extension and redesign of the Palacio de Hierro store together with the office tower that is home to Bal Corporate offices.
The commercial dynamism of the zone and the need for reinvention made it necessary to improve and update this project for its new urban surroundings. For this reason, it was decided to purchase the adjacent 4,400 sqm plot located on Platón avenue, to give a total surface area of 23,500 sqm covering the entire city block between Moliere, Horacio, Homero and Platón avenues.
In accordance with the master plan, the Moliere Dos22 mixed-use complex undergoes renewal and extension with the following key proposals:
1) The Palacio de Hierro store remains contained in the plinth, which is extended towards Platón avenue, where a second level is added, occupying the original shopping mall. This makes it the largest department store in Mexico.
2) The extension of the office tower is intended to follow the same outline and triangular volume as the original, but granting it greater urban presence and stature. This extension is developed from level 3 of the plinth to reach a total of 11 floors containing spaces occupied by the Bal Corporate offices.
3) The original underground parking lot had 3 levels. With the extension demand will increase, meaning that a new 8-level parking lot was constructed under Platón avenue with a built area of 35,000 sqm, complementing the original parking lot.