Sustainable City Hall Designed by Foster + Partners Debuts in Buenos Aires

By Ioana Neamt, Associate Editor

Buenos Aires, Argentina—Foster + Partners has recently unveiled its first civic project in Argentina, a sustainable new city hall in the city of Buenos Aires. The London architecture firm has designed an environmentally friendly building that occupies an entire city block in Parque Patricios.

Called Buenos Aires Ciudad Casa de Gobierno, the building will become Argentina’s first public building to be awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The new building has a flexible internal arrangement of terraced working floors and incorporates a café and a 300-seat, wood-paneled auditorium. A four-story atrium and floor-to-ceiling glass walls fill the space with abundant natural light, while the open working spaces promote a sense of community and good communication among the 1,500 employees. Buenos Aires Ciudad Casa de Gobierno also features a distinctive roof that extends like a canopy to provide shade and helps regulate temperatures.

“Its design is very much a response to the local context, socially and environmentally–our aim has been to create a highly flexible building, which celebrates the city’s wonderful climate and the unique park-side setting, and will make a positive addition to a revitalized neighborhood,” said David Summerfield, head of Studio at Foster + Partners.

According to Lord Norman Foster, founder and chairman of Foster + Partners, the new city hall has played a vital role in revitalizing the former industrial quarter of Buenos Aires. Industrial materials have been used throughout the building, in an attempt to reinforce the formerly artisan character of Parque Patricios.

Image courtesy of Foster + Partners