Edificio Miguel E. Abed
Encyclopedia
Edificio Miguel E Abed, located on Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas # 13 in Cuauhtemoc
Cuauhtémoc
Cuauhtémoc was the Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan from 1520 to 1521...

, the Historic Center of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...

, opposite the Torre Latinoamericana
Torre Latinoamericana
The Torre Latinoamericana is a building in downtown Mexico City, Mexico. Its central location, height and history make it one of the city's most important landmarks...

. It was built by Mexican-Lebanese businessman Miguel E. Abed who was also one of the founders of the Centro Libanes in Mexico City along with former president Miguel Avila Camacho. The building is equipped with three high-speed elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...

s (lifts) which move at 6.0 meters per second. In the building are offices of various companies, that are installed since the early 60s. In 1952, the building exceeded the Tower Anahuac for four years, to become the tallest building in Mexico until 1956 - the year in which construction was completed on the tallest building in Latin America for its time, the Torre Latinoamericana.

Form

With a unique shape, this tower stands in the historic center of Mexico City as its structure is composed of three bodies, which become narrower as the height increases, except on the north side of the tower, which is a single wall without windows to floor 29. The total height of the building is 125 metres (410.1 ft) and has 29 floors. The skyscraper is the total area of 52000 square metres (559,723.3 sq ft), and the height of each floor to ceiling is 3.41 metres (11.2 ft).

History of the Tower

After the excessive growth of Mexico City and especially in its Central Business District, there was a need to start building vertically, with buildings over 15 floors. Mexico City was in need of space, and with the increasing income growth in the city, this building was built in this strategic area. The building was planned in 1948, construction began in 1949, and construction was completed in 1952.

Construction of the building was challenging because it is located in the former Lake City area of the city. Edificio Miguel E. Abed was the third building in Mexico City (and in the world), along with the Edificio La Nacional, Miguel E Abed, APYCSA Building, Tower Anahuac , Edificio El Moro and the Torre Latinoamericana, that used the latest technology for seismic shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...

s. So, these buildings were the beginning of the great skyscrapers of Mexico City. When completed, the building became the tallest building in Mexico until 1957 when the Torre Latinoamericana was completed.

Important Details

Given the seismic activity in Mexico City, the building was equipped with security measures including 40 seismic dampers
Earthquake engineering
Earthquake engineering is the scientific field concerned with protecting society, the natural and the man-made environment from earthquakes by limiting the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable levels...

. It is anchored to the ground with 195 concrete piles which penetrate 60 meters into the old swampy landfill of Mexico City. After the two strongest earthquakes in Mexico City, both the 1957 Guerrero earthquake and the 1985 Mexico earthquake, it is considered one of the safest skyscraper in the world along with Torre Mayor
Torre Mayor
The Torre Mayor is a skyscraper in Mexico City, United Mexican States. With a height of 225 metres to the top floor and 55 storeys, it's the second tallest building in Latin America, surpassed by Ocean Two in Panama City with 236 metres...

, Torre Ejecutiva Pemex
Torre Ejecutiva Pemex
The Torre Ejecutiva Pemex is a skyscraper in Mexico City. The building was originally designed as a pair of 26-story towers, but was later transformed into a single 52-story, international style tower. On September 19, 1985, the tower was able to resist the 8.1 earthquake that struck Mexico City...

, World Trade Center Mexico City, Torre Latinoamericana
Torre Latinoamericana
The Torre Latinoamericana is a building in downtown Mexico City, Mexico. Its central location, height and history make it one of the city's most important landmarks...

 (Latin American Tower), HSBC Towe
HSBC Tower, Mexico City
HSBC Tower is a skyscraper located on Paseo de la Reforma in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Mexico, which is the headquarters of HSBC Mexico. It is located opposite the Angel of Independence, and is home to the around 2,800 HSBC Mexico staff. Construction was completed in 2006, at a...

, Edificio Reforma Avantel, St. Regis Hotel & Residences and Torre Insignia
Torre Insignia
Torre Insignia is a building designed by Mario Pani Darqui which is located on the corner of Avenida Ricardo Flores Magnon and Avenida de los Insurgentes Norte, in the Tlateloco housing complex in Cuauhtémoc in Mexico City...

.

This building, together with the Edificio La Nacional
Edificio La Nacional
Edificio La Nacional is an Art Deco-styled office building located in the Historical Centre of Mexico City. It is considered to be the first skyscraper in Mexico City and the entire country of Mexico....

, Edificio Miguel E Abed APYCSA, the Torre Latinoamericana, Tower Contigo and Edificio El Moro, is one of only six buildings that survived five major earthquakes throughout its history. The first earthquake of 7.9 on the Richter scale occurred in July 1957. The second, in September 1985 that measured 8.1, the third in September 1995 that measured 7.6, the fourth in January 2003 measuring 7.6, and the fifth on April 13 of 2007 at 6.3 on the Richter scale.

At the end of the decade of the 80s, the building was equipped with an intelligent building system, which controls the lighting using a system called B3, also used at Torre Mayor, Torre Ejecutiva Pemex, Mexico World Trade Center, Torre Altus
Torre Altus
Torre Altus is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Mexico City. Located in Bosques de las Lomas in Paseo de los Laureles y Alcanfores, the tower stands in one of the most exclusive residential and commercial zones in Latin America. When it was completed, it became the third tallest building in Mexico...

, Arcos Bosques Tower 1 and 2
Arcos Bosques
Arcos Bosques Torre 1 is a prominent skyscraper in Mexico City. It was designed by Teodoro González. It is 36 stories tall, with 33 levels of office space. It is composed of two parallel columns of 31 floors and 4 more floors at the top joined by a lintel. It is colloquially known as El Pantalón ....

, Torre Latinoamericana, Edificio Reforma 222 Torre 1, Haus Santa Fe, Edificio Reforma Avantel, Residencial del Bosque 1 and 2, Reforma 222 Financial Center, HSBC Tower
HSBC Tower, Mexico City
HSBC Tower is a skyscraper located on Paseo de la Reforma in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Mexico, which is the headquarters of HSBC Mexico. It is located opposite the Angel of Independence, and is home to the around 2,800 HSBC Mexico staff. Construction was completed in 2006, at a...

, Panorama Santa Fe, Santa Fe City Tower Amsterdam, Santa Fe Pads, St. Regis Hotel & Residences, and Torre Lomas. It is located just meters from the Historic Center of Mexico City, the New Tower of Tlatelolco, the Alameda Central.

Quick Facts

  • Height - 125 meters
  • Total area - 98.000 square meters
  • Office space-51.000 square meters
  • Fifteen levels underground parking and 29 floors
  • Height status:
    • In Mexico: 31st place
    • In Mexico City: 28 th place
    • In the Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas: 2nd place
    • In the Historic Center of Mexico City: 2nd place

Sources

Centro Libanes - Miguel E. Abed http://www.centrolibanes.org.mx/historia.html
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