Located in downtown Mexico City across the “Alameda Central”, sharing Avenida Juarez along with the “Palacio de Bellas Artes”, “Casa de los Azulejos” and the “Torre Latinoamericana” is located Sheraton Centro Historico Hotel, one of the most important projects of Pascal Arquitectos. The firm was in full in charge of the architectural and interior design. The hotel occupies an area of 66,000 sqft and it is a 770,000 sqft construction of 26 levels houses 464 rooms, a convention centre, boutiques, restaurants, cafeterias, spa and an heliport.
This first high scale project was accomplished in Mexico City’s historic downtown in forty years and after the 1985´s earthquakes. Based on the project’s objective and target market, and in spite of government’s idea to create a colonial style building, it was finally decided to work with a contemporary design integrating the latest technologies braking completely with the surrounding context and the image of its neighboring buildings. The intention was to bring back Mexico’s 50´s commercial, cultural and social atmosphere when hotels were considered a socio-cultural gathering centres. The market addressed to is eighty percent business class and twenty percent tourism, and besides providing lodging services, it has a convention centre of over 60,000 sqft, holding more than 5,000 people that offers services such as simultaneous translations, multimedia presentations, conference recording, stage and theatrical lighting, 3DFR sound systems, and wireless communications, among others.
The porticated entrance along Avenida Juarez was required by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, though the use of metal and straight lines gave away the colonial style that was expected, language intentions were to make it reachable for most of the public. The lower part of the building holds the main lobby, the convention center, exhibition rooms, cafeterias, restaurants, stores and back of the house areas. It also keeps the same height as the surrounding buildings, without affecting urban skyline.
There is also an inside motor lobby where cars and buses access from Revillagigedo street providing an alternate entrance for large groups. The main tower that houses the rooms, rises from the garden, and has an east-west orientation. In its top floor there is an executive lounge and suites providing special services for preferred guest;, there is also a heliport in the rooftop. Different engineering firms were involved in order to be able to achieve a completely automated building as well as for it to have the capacity to evolve to future technological changes. Finishes selection was defined by their cost, efficiency, durability maintenance, reposition, and stock availability while staying within Starwood’s specifications and standards.
