Category: Institutions
Region: Mexico
Year: 1972
Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
FT2 Construction: 30,139 sq ft
FT2 Ground: 0 sq ft
Involved Areas: Architecture, Remodeling

Collaborators:
LEGORRETA^®
Ricardo Legorreta
Noé Castro
Carlos Vargas Senior

Photographer:

Fernando Cordero
Ma. Dolores Robles - Martínez


Generally known to residents of Mexico City as the Iturbide Palace, this distinguished landmark, in the hands of Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, has been transformed into offices for one of the country’s most important private credit institutions, Financiera Banamex. The Palacio’s original use was as the residence of the Marquis of Jaral de Berrio and it was built in 1780 with the design of Francisco Guerrero y Torres, one of the most accomplished architects of Mexico’s colonial period. Only later it became Mexico’s Viceroyal Palace, during which time it was inhabited by Don Agustin de Iturbide. Later uses or misuses of the building included the housing of a College of Mining and of a company hotel for the General Diligences Company. Almost two centuries of such varied occupancy had, of course, resulted in many building modifications, and architect Ricardo Legorreta was presented with a landmark somewhat bastardized. What to save and what to eliminate were difficult decisions. Legorreta’s general policy was to return the building, as far as possible, to its 1780 form. A major exception, however, was that for both aesthetic and structural reasons; he retained many of the changes made by the architect Dondé at the end of the last century. The central space, originally opened to the sky had been covered with a distractingly elaborate glass skylight. This was removed and replaced by Legorreta with a new roof shaped somewhat like an airline wing, its smooth lower surface curving upward to clerestory windows at two sides of the court. Several layers of floor paving were ripped up to reestablish original floor levels. Mezzanines which had been built, for commercial purposes under the arcades of the main floor were removed. A small stair and elevator that had taken the place of the original grand stair were also removed, and the grand stair rebuilt. Obviously, not everything in the restored building is authentic. Where the function of banking offices demanded spaces of furnishings for which no 1780 counterparts existed, and in cases where there were no reliable documents to show what the original conditions may have been, Legorreta has eschewed speculative period imitations in favor of frankly modern solutions. The new courtyard roof, the simple fountain beneath it, the new doors, the style of the elevator, stairs, wooden flooring, great hanging lamps and other elements were chosen with great care, all are unashamedly new. As the furnishings required in the original palace were completely different, a modern approach was thought best and has been complemented by original colonial pieces such as wardrobes, chest drawers, etc. Finally, the paintings, sculptures and works of art were chosen to enhance the atmosphere of the palace. The end result accomplishes with considerable panache. Legorreta’s aim of “Keeping the original atmosphere of tranquility and Colonial splendor” whatever other owners and architects may come to the Iturbide Palace in the future, they will find it, in the latest of its transformations as handsome as ever.