VIEW FROM THE TOP
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF MEXICO CITY’S MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS JAVIER SORDO MADALENO DE HARO Architecture Director of Grupo Sordo Madaleno
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Q: What types of projects does GSM want to develop in the
transparent. For Artz, we decided to allocate 50 percent of the
Mexican real-estate market and what challenges does it face?
profitable space, which totaled more than 20,000m2, to green
A: As time passes, GSM is concentrating its efforts more and
areas for the community. We have invested a great amount of
more on mixed-use developments. It is clear that standalone
money to develop supporting and public infrastructure around
projects, whether commercial or office developments, are not
our projects to increase quality of life.
working well in the market anymore. Consumers are looking for the experience created when all these components are
Q: What differentiates Artz from other commercial
brought together, which are what makes a project successful
developments in the south of Mexico City?
today. GSM combines housing, tourism, commercial, corporate
A: Artz Pedregal is a mixed-use project that will be like no
and cultural developments into one and that is where we see
other in Mexico. We are integrating luxury boutiques such
the biggest opportunity in the market.
as Louis Vuitton, Gucci and other luxury brands that could previously only be found in Palacio de Hierro. There will
Finding the perfect location is definitely one of the most
also be a cultural element integrated into the mall and four
difficult elements when constructing in urban settings. There
corporate towers. We believe that this will be the future of
are few AAA lots available but once the land is acquired the
malls. All these new elements that we are integrating will
next step is getting all the permits, land use and licenses in
surprise the market and it will be a pioneer in architecture,
order. This is a tedious and intricate process that involves
tenant mix and urbanization. We believe it will surpass the
many government agencies and can take up to two years
success Antara enjoyed when it was first developed in 2006.
but you must do it right. Q: How will Reforma Colón transform Mexico City’s Q: How is GSM integrating the Artz mall development into a
downtown area?
residential area as complex as Pedregal?
A: Reforma Colón is our largest and most complex project
A: Artz is a project that because of its nature became a
at the moment but it will have a tremendous impact on the
controversial topic, not for what it represents but because
urban development of the city. This project will regenerate
of where it is located and because sometimes people are not
downtown Mexico City, paving the way for similar projects
well-informed about a project. One of the biggest challenges
not only in Mexico but in all of Latin America. For the past
we faced was integrating it into the mobility system of the
three years, we have been working hard to fuse together 27
Periferico highway. We are investing more than MX$200
properties totaling more than 45,000m2, which is a close-to-
million (US$11 million) in public infrastructure around the
impossible task in Mexico’s saturated city center. We have
commercial development, including installing U-turns,
the opportunity to truly transform this part of Mexico City
bypasses and tunnels.
and bring it back to life. Concentrating cities in their center is more efficient in terms of investment and infrastructure,
We want to create projects that truly boost the quality of life
while creating microcities within the city makes for much more
of their surrounding areas. We always invest large amounts of
efficient use of space.
money in additional infrastructure that improves mobility and flow of traffic in the area. Apart from road infrastructure, we
Q: How is GSM able to fund multiple large projects that
also invest in the improvement and construction of the area’s
demand heavy investment?
entire water infrastructure system. Artz Pedregal will bring to
A: At GSM we are independent developers but at Sordo
life the southern area of Mexico City that had been forgotten
Madaleno Arquitectos (SMA) we also work as third-party
for many years in terms of new commercial and mixed-use
architects with other developers, such as Fibra Danhos and
real-estate developments. I think it is important that both
Fibra Uno, on projects such as Parque Toreo and Midtown
the developers and communities ensure communication is
Jalisco. Most of the projects that form part of GSM’s portfolio
