Business complex “Manzana 40” is the outstanding architecture of 2021

After analyzing the main works built during the past year, the evaluating jury unanimously chose the business complex “Manzana 40 – Business Plaza” as the most outstanding work of architecture of the city built in 2021. This imposing building is located on Av. San Martín, the Equipetrol Norte business area, and will be honored with a commemorative plaque from the UPSA Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, as is already the case. Traditional for 28 years.

This magnificent work is volumetrically defined by a monumental seven-level plinth and two slender and elegant subtly curved towers that reach 30 stories high each. With 100,000 m2 built, it dominates the business and financial heart of the Santa Cruz metropolis. It houses commercial spaces on the ground floor and has capacity for more than 250 offices, a medical floor and a gastronomic boulevard. On the seventh floor is La Terraza, equipped with an auditorium, meeting rooms, executive gym, cafeteria-restaurant, events area and outdoor gardens.

Building is the integrated result of 23 simultaneous architecture and engineering projects, digitally coordinated within the framework of the BIM system, which optimized the construction process. Energy consumption is reduced by 30% thanks to shades generated by thermo panels that protect the facades, generating nuances of light and shadow. Security systems and fire control, thermal and acoustic insulation and earthquake resistant structure define a high quality work. Its 16 elevators, the fastest in the country, two escalators and four pressurized stairs, ensure fast, efficient and safe vertical circulation.

In addition to being designed and built under rigorous LEED environmental certification criteria, the imposing silhouette of Manzana 40 offers the city an attractive nocturnal polychromy,activated with RGB LED lights throughout the façade, being able to configure colors that for a few months have become another attraction in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

The A4 Architecture Studio, based in Santiago de Chile, is responsible for the innovative and attractive architectural design that enriches the local skyline. The architects Ismael Correa, Germán Zegers and Sebastián Di Girolamo, with their team, have designed and built important building complexes in their country, Egypt, Panama, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Two business groups promoted Manzana 40: Grupo H, linked to a hotel chain, business and condominium towers, and Santa Cruz Development, linked to the steel industry and real estate developments.

The national entrepreneurs are José Luis Handal, Patricia Handal, Juan Carlos Zurita and Boris Marinkovic, supported by Claudio Fernández in the general management, and an important team of professionals.

Two other buildings from 2021, whose architecture was highly valued by the Jury, were two condominium towers: the La Foret Building, located at 110 Hernán Ardaya Paz Street; and the Sky Lux Building, located at 404 Jaime Román Street. The first stands out for the sophisticated treatment of materials and framework in its elevations, and the second, for the subtle stepped curvature of its balconies and the contrast of textures.

The La Foret building stands out for the sophisticated treatment of materials and the framework in its elevations/Photo: UPSA

Usually, the Jury valued the continuity in the relative improvement in the quality of the architectural design of the buildings of the city, showing the health and strength of the Santa Cruz architecture, which for years has been recognized as the most dynamic in the country, showing important advances in the technological management of construction systems and sustainability criteria .

They participated in Evaluating Jury 9 representatives of important national and local institutions: Architect Daniel Osinaga (from the Bolivian College of Architects), Engineer Juan Carlos Rivero (from the El Deber Group), Architect Jorge Stratis (from the Santa Cruz College of Architects), Engineer Fernando Paz (from the Society of Engineers of Bolivia Dptal. Santa Cruz), Architect Andrea Daza (Municipal Government), Mr. Alejandro Farías (from Cainco), Mr. Federico Rea (Cadecocruz), Architect Juan Carlos Simoni (UPSA teacher) and Dr. Arq. Víctor Hugo Limpias (Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of the UPSA).

The Sky Lux building shows a subtle stepped curvature of its balconies/Photo: UPSA

DATA

• Since 1994, the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism formally distinguishes the most outstanding architectural work of the previous year. A quarter of a century after its institutionalization, the distinction becomes an important reference for Santa Cruz and Bolivian architecture.

• The evaluation jury, made up of representatives of important institutions directly linked to architectural and urban development, meets at the UPSA and evaluates all the relevant works of the year, excluding normal single-family and commercial homes. After selecting 3 works at the meeting, the jury visits them, only to decide on the winning work.

After analyzing the main works built during the past year, the evaluating jury unanimously chose the business complex “Manzana 40 – Business Plaza” as the most outstanding work of architecture of the city built in 2021. This imposing building is located on Av. San Martín, the Equipetrol Norte business area, and will be honored with a commemorative plaque from the UPSA Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, as is already the case. Traditional for 28 years.

This magnificent work is volumetrically defined by a monumental seven-level plinth and two slender and elegant subtly curved towers that reach 30 stories high each. With 100,000 m2 built, it dominates the business and financial heart of the Santa Cruz metropolis. It houses commercial spaces on the ground floor and has capacity for more than 250 offices, a medical floor and a gastronomic boulevard. On the seventh floor is La Terraza, equipped with an auditorium, meeting rooms, executive gym, cafeteria-restaurant, events area and outdoor gardens.

Building is the integrated result of 23 simultaneous architecture and engineering projects, digitally coordinated within the framework of the BIM system, which optimized the construction process. Energy consumption is reduced by 30% thanks to shades generated by thermo panels that protect the facades, generating nuances of light and shadow. Security systems and fire control, thermal and acoustic insulation and earthquake resistant structure define a high quality work. Its 16 elevators, the fastest in the country, two escalators and four pressurized stairs, ensure fast, efficient and safe vertical circulation.

In addition to being designed and built under rigorous LEED environmental certification criteria, the imposing silhouette of Manzana 40 offers the city an attractive nocturnal polychromy,activated with RGB LED lights throughout the façade, being able to configure colors that for a few months have become another attraction in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

The A4 Architecture Studio, based in Santiago de Chile, is responsible for the innovative and attractive architectural design that enriches the local skyline. The architects Ismael Correa, Germán Zegers and Sebastián Di Girolamo, with their team, have designed and built important building complexes in their country, Egypt, Panama, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Two business groups promoted Manzana 40: Grupo H, linked to a hotel chain, business and condominium towers, and Santa Cruz Development, linked to the steel industry and real estate developments.

The national entrepreneurs are José Luis Handal, Patricia Handal, Juan Carlos Zurita and Boris Marinkovic, supported by Claudio Fernández in the general management, and an important team of professionals.

Two other buildings from 2021, whose architecture was highly valued by the Jury, were two condominium towers: the La Foret Building, located at 110 Hernán Ardaya Paz Street; and the Sky Lux Building, located at 404 Jaime Román Street. The first stands out for the sophisticated treatment of materials and framework in its elevations, and the second, for the subtle stepped curvature of its balconies and the contrast of textures.

The La Foret building stands out for the sophisticated treatment of materials and the framework in its elevations/Photo: UPSA

Usually, the Jury valued the continuity in the relative improvement in the quality of the architectural design of the buildings of the city, showing the health and strength of the Santa Cruz architecture, which for years has been recognized as the most dynamic in the country, showing important advances in the technological management of construction systems and sustainability criteria .

They participated in Evaluating Jury 9 representatives of important national and local institutions: Architect Daniel Osinaga (from the Bolivian College of Architects), Engineer Juan Carlos Rivero (from the El Deber Group), Architect Jorge Stratis (from the Santa Cruz College of Architects), Engineer Fernando Paz (from the Society of Engineers of Bolivia Dptal. Santa Cruz), Architect Andrea Daza (Municipal Government), Mr. Alejandro Farías (from Cainco), Mr. Federico Rea (Cadecocruz), Architect Juan Carlos Simoni (UPSA teacher) and Dr. Arq. Víctor Hugo Limpias (Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of the UPSA).

The Sky Lux building shows a subtle stepped curvature of its balconies/Photo: UPSA

DATA

• Since 1994, the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism formally distinguishes the most outstanding architectural work of the previous year. A quarter of a century after its institutionalization, the distinction becomes an important reference for Santa Cruz and Bolivian architecture.

• The evaluation jury, made up of representatives of important institutions directly linked to architectural and urban development, meets at the UPSA and evaluates all the relevant works of the year, excluding normal single-family and commercial homes. After selecting 3 works at the meeting, the jury visits them, only to decide on the winning work.

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