Las Palmas 555, Mexico City, 1975
After visiting the temporary exhibition “Brutalismo arquitectónico en México” last year at the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City, an exhibition showcasing 65 emblematic projects of Mexican Brutalism from the mid-20th century to today.
one building in particular caught my attention: Palmas 555. This office building, completed in 1975 by Juan Sordo Madaleno, José Adolfo Wiechers, and José Ignacio de Abiega, stayed with me. I later went to see it in person, heading to its exact address to better understand this bold and forward-thinking construction.
The building perfectly reflects the modernity of its time: a balance between user comfort, functional efficiency, and strong architectural identity.
Vertical circulation was centralized as much as possible, minimizing interior corridors and allowing most workspaces to benefit from natural light and ventilation, a clear, intelligent approach.
What strikes you immediately is the staggered elevation across its nine floors. Depending on the angle, the structure appears almost unbalanced, like a construction game built from a central base where elements seem randomly stacked.
But look closer, and a rhythm emerges: a precise repetition every four levels.
This clever composition also conceals the windows — letting light in while protecting interiors from excessive heat.
In the original black-and-white photograph, it’s difficult to identify the material used.
Even standing just a few meters away, the same question arises: is it concrete, polished stone, ceramic? Surprisingly, it’s made of dark aluminum panels, a detail that makes the building even more distinctive.
The 1975 black-and-white photograph was taken by Guillermo Zamora, a pioneer of architectural photography in Mexico. Over a 50-year career, he produced more than 10,000 images of architectural spaces, captured through the lens of his Korona camera. He was also closely connected to Juan Sordo Madaleno.
The model displayed in the exhibition (balsa wood with a maple finish) was created by Roberto Montalvo in 2021, for the Sordo Madaleno Foundation.
Palmas 555 is a strong example of Latin American Brutalism from that era. Today, it stands as an icon of Mexican mid-century architecture.
Address: Paseo de las Palmas 555, Lomas de Chapultepec, Miguel Hidalgo, 11000 Mexico City, CDMX.
C.Sanchez, Ölddesign.
