Urbania is an urban recycling project located in downtown Monterrey. The task was to work with a building that used to house the old headquarters of the “Monterrey-New York Life” insurance company.

Originally built in the late fifties, this building was converted into a rental residential project, with 130 units, ranging from 500 sq.ft. to 1,650 sq-ft.

The building was deeply transformed both in its interior as well as on its rooftop, where four new light structure floors were added over the existing 15 stories, providing a new crowning to the building.

Levels 1 and 2 kept their commercial use. The rest of the structure and the original brick facades went over a careful restoration due to the building’s architectural value as a fine example of mid-twentieth century modern architecture.

In the interiors, the character of the building was partially maintained by leaving all of the ceilings with the original 50 year old exposed concrete. In addition to the apartments and commerce, the building contains certain amenities such as the social lounge and terrace of the 16th floor, as well as a fitness center on the same level.

As the first project in the city with true lofts (as new housing spaces inside recycled buildings) Urbania exemplifies the direction that growth and densification should take for Monterrey’s community.