lgn1208

Splendor and rhythm of Mexico conserved in Calakmul compound

The compound's interior walls are composed of laminated glass mirrors.

The architecture of the Calakmul compound in Mexico City is inspired by Mayan symbolism. It seeks to conserve the magic, splendor and rhythm of Mexico's ancient cultures, combining one thousand years of civilization with a new sensitivity to the environment. The project was honored in the 1998 DuPont Benedictus Awards for the way it used laminated glass to achieve its design goals.

The main Calakmul building is a structure of nine floors in the shape of a cube with the interior walls composed of laminated glass mirrors. Architect Agustin Hernandez told LGN: "I wanted the mirrors to give a distortion-free reflection and throw back the virtual imagination of the interior." As for the choice of laminated glass, Hernandez said: "Solar and acoustic control were both important. What's more, it looks and feels fantastic!"

While visitors to the interior of the compound are exposed to unfettered exterior views, they are also protected from the fierce Mexican heat since the laminated glass incorporates a Low-E coating, reducing interior heat gain to a minimum, keeping the internal ambience comfortable and saving on air conditioning costs. If the Low-E coating had been used on monolithic glass, this could have led to scratching of the surface during cleaning and maintenance. Within the laminated glass construction, the Low-E coating is protected.

Covered tunnels of laminated glass give unfettered views of the surrounding countryside.

Laminated glass is also a key feature in the three pyramids adjoining the cubic building. The product allows the pyramids to be transparent to daylight and to act as a beacon at night. It transforms the covered tunnels that connect the cube and the pyramids into a space that not only invites travellers to go through but also to see what is going on, during the journey.

As the 1998 DuPont Benedictus judges summed up: "The architects thought carefully about climate control for winter and summer – sealing the building for the winter and collecting and retaining radiant heat gain. Meanwhile, in the summer, the laminated glass design opens up the building for cooling and through-ventilation."