Movie: Tadao Ando’s art and design school for University of Monterrey

This movie by Mexican film agency Nation tours the school of art, design and architecture that Japanese architect Tadao Ando completed last year at the University of Monterrey in Mexico.

The Centro Roberto Garza Sada, also known as the Gate of Creation, is a chunky concrete block designed by Tadao Ando with triangular slices across its two sides to create the appearance of a twisted structure.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Rectangular voids at each end expose stairwells and an open-air amphitheatre, while entrances are located beneath the shelter of the building’s raised underside.

The six-storey interior is organised so that each floor accommodates different departments, encompassing digital facilities, visual arts, textiles, photography, model-making and fashion. Overall, the building accommodates studios and teaching rooms for 300 students.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

See more photographs of the Centro Roberto Garza Sada in an earlier story on Dezeen.

Photography is by Roberto Ortiz. Movie is by Nation.

The post Movie: Tadao Ando’s art and design school
for University of Monterrey
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Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

This bulky concrete school of art, design and architecture was completed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando at the University of Monterrey in Mexico and is one of over 300 projects being showcased this week for the World Architecture Festival in Singapore (+ slideshow).

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Housing studios and teaching rooms for over 300 students, the Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño was designed by Tadao Ando as a six-storey concrete block with a huge triangular void at its centre.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

This void exposes the underside of the building, creating the appearance of a twisted structure, and creates a large sheltered entrance for staff, students and visitors below.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Additional openings elsewhere around the building provide outdoor corridors and meeting areas, as well as an open-air amphitheatre.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

The six storeys of the building accommodate different creative disciplines. Digital facilities occupy the first two floors, while visual arts can be found on the second floor. Textiles and photography share the third floor, model-making workshops are grouped together on the fourth floor and the top storey is home to the fashion department.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

The building was completed earlier this year. It was nominated in the Higher Education and Research award category at the World Architecture Festival and received a commendation from the judges earlier today. Follow Dezeen’s coverage of WAF 2013 »

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Japanese architect Tadao Ando is best known for projects that combine raw concrete with slices of light, such as Church of the Light (1989) and Row House (1976). Other recent projects by the architect include a concrete house on the edge of a cliff in Sri Lanka and the Issey Miyake Foundation research centre in Tokyo. See more architecture by Tadao Ando »

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

See more university buildings »
See more architecture in Mexico »

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Photography is by Roberto Ortiz.

Here’s a project description from the design team:


Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño

Roberto Garza Sada Center for Arts, Architecture and Design (CRGS) is a 6 storey building with height of 5.4 metres between each level. Built in an area of 20,700 square metres. The building has a modulation of supports (columns) arranged in a grid of 9 metres per side, having 3 modules in the short side and 11 in the long one.

The main support structure is based on 4 frames in the long direction, spaced 9 metres one from another, and describing free spaces of about 80 to 65 metres. The main frames are stabilised trough a secondary structure which allows it to have the required stiffness to be structurally stable.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

The structural concept is based on the principle of composite action, that is, elements of structural steel-lined concrete and united so that both receive and transmit efforts jointly (the concrete is not only architectural but structural).

The finishes of the building are:
» Granite floors or concrete polishing, epoxy-coated
» Apparent concrete walls, plaster, drywall or resin panel
» Ceiling drywall or prefabricated resin panel

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Additionally it has windows of aluminium (profiles with thermal break) and insulated glasses with a low-e face are included in areas of direct exposure to the sun’s rays. The windows system is reinforced by a system of automated blinds and linked to the lighting control system for a more efficient system. Architectural design concentrates most of the windows in three main holes that come from the rooftop to the floors below that allow the natural lighting and ventilation of the building.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

The VRV air conditioning system provides high efficiency in electricity consumption for the divided spaces configuration of the building. Lamps are high efficiency and with electronic ballast that is linked to an intelligent system that detects heat, motion and daylight by sensors strategically located through the building. The system regulate the environment of each space providing the lighting required for the development of activities, while they save energy by allowing most of the lighting to be natural.

Centro Roberto Garza Sada de Arte Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando

Electric and voice-data systems feature the best technology, in order to provide users with the most suitable conditions for the performance of academic functions in each space of the building.

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Arquitectura y Diseño by Tadao Ando
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High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

Construction of this apartment block with a stepped elevation by Mexican firm Rojkind Arquitectos is due to commence this summer in Monterrey, Mexico.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

The ground and first floors of High Park will accommodate shops with eight storeys of apartments stepping backwards and forwards above.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

The setbacks will create both sheltered and open terraces for residents with views towards the mountains.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

Each of the 32 apartment interiors have been designed by one of six different local designers, creating a varied layout for each one.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

A car park will be located across four storeys below ground.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

More projects by Rojkind Arquitectos on Dezeen »

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

More stories about projects in Mexico on Dezeen »

Here is some more information from Rojkind Arquitectos:


High Park is located on the outskirts of the northern city of Monterrey, Mexico. Surrounded by the Majestic Sierra Madre Oriental Range.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

The project is designed to take full advantage of its geographic location and to help mitigate the extreme climatic conditions.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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As a recurring design concern for rojkind arquitectos and as a way of integrating the building into the pedestrian realm (giving back to the community), the building steps back to create an outdoor shaded space that can be enjoyed by the residents and visitors alike.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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“Normally these types of building don’t allow for the creation of any public space, the entire site is developed with the intention of maximizing the most square footage for it’s commercial interest. This project takes a different approach by allowing its site not to be built in its entirely and provide public space that can be utilize by anyone” Gerardo Salinas, partner, rojkind arquitectos

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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To counterbalance the strong sun, the floor plates shift in relation to one another creating a play of light and shadow, and the use of local stone, done by local craftsmen on the facade allows the building to stay cooler and makes its appearance change as the sun moves across the horizon.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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The project offers outdoor terraces for each apartment due to the strict setback restrictions of the site, capitalizing on the views of the adjacent mountains.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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“People enjoy the convenience of a house for its connection to a garden, or exterior spaces, which normally apartments lack. By having a project which integrates, not only terraces but real gardens even at the upper levels, we have achieved an experience unique to Monterrey.” Michel Rojkind, founding partner

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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High Park consists of a total of ten levels above grade and three and a half levels of underground parking.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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The first two levels are for commercial retail, the remaining 8 levels for luxury apartments. Within these 8 residential levels, recreational and entertainment spaces will be provided for the residents including a pool, gym, spa, etc.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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These 32 apartments will range in size from 250 square meters to 650 square meters.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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The Building as a Platform for Additional Creative Input

Six local designers have been invited to make each apartment unique and appealing to different styles and different market segments.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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Each apartment has a different layout and configuration, offering a wide range of internal distributions from a one level apartment to a two-story apartment.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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Construction will begin this summer.

High Park by Rojkind Arquitectos

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See also:

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PUU-BO by BIGBeirut Terraces by
Herzog & de Meuron
House for elderly people
by Aires Mateus Arquitectos