ICON Cibeles

ICON Cibeles is located in Roma Norte, one of Mexico City’s most emblematic neighborhoods, on the corner of the Glorieta de la Cibeles, home to the replica of Madrid’s famous monument. The area is characterized by its constant cultural, recreational, and social activity, where cafés, museums, cultural venues, bars, and restaurants keep the neighborhood active nearly 24 hours a day.

Responding to this context, the project is based on a central idea: living outward. This concept is structured around two main axes.

The first seeks to create the sensation of inhabiting the city while preserving privacy. A façade composed primarily of glass, complemented by glass and aluminum balconies, blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. The triangular balconies are strategically oriented to capture views of the roundabout; those facing Avenida Durango are rotated to maintain the monument of the Goddess Cibeles as their focal point.

The resulting form reinterprets the neighborhood’s dynamism through a façade that unfolds along the corner like an accordion. Copper-toned aluminum planes frame the party walls and evoke, in an abstract way, the original color of the sculpture at the center of the roundabout.

The second axis focuses on integrating the building into the public life of its surroundings. A commercial space occupies the semi-basement and ground floor—currently home to the restaurant Onomura—while the rooftop houses the restaurant Brava. Through this strategy, ICON Cibeles and its users become active participants in the everyday life of Roma.

The project is aimed at national and international travelers seeking short stays and an immersive experience of Mexico City’s culture, gastronomy, and music. The building contains 12 levels with four apartments per floor, ranging from 32 to 40 m². Approximately 80% of the units are dedicated to Airbnb-type accommodations and 20% to traditional rentals, with part of the operation managed directly by the developer.

The apartments form the core of the project. Designed as flexible spaces, their living areas can transform into bedrooms through fold-down beds and connect directly to terraces overlooking the city. Living here is defined by maintaining a constant relationship with the urban environment.

The project takes advantage of Mexico City’s “Polígono de Actuación” planning instrument, which allows a new development to absorb unused development rights from nearby properties. In this case, unused potential from the Centro Cultural Chapultepec was transferred to the site, increasing its permissible area from 1,100 m² (six levels) to 2,200 m² (twelve levels).

While this mechanism is often used to maximize density, the project applies it strategically. The donor property had approximately 20,000 m² of transferable development rights available. By absorbing only 1,100 m², the project achieved the required density while simultaneously exhausting the transfer potential associated with that property. As a result, the remaining 18,000 m² can no longer be transferred or utilized by future developments, effectively preventing a much larger speculative increase in density elsewhere and contributing to a more balanced model of urban growth.

The building is supported by a pile foundation and a concrete structure, while the balconies are resolved through a steel framework. A gray stone base extends the mineral character of the sidewalk and continues into the commercial spaces, complemented by copper-toned aluminum and the glass façade above.

Access to the residential lobby is provided through a stone staircase partially clad in wood, creating a transition between the public realm and the private interior. Access to the restaurants requires descending half a level to an independent lobby, separating user flows while maintaining integration with public life.

Inside, Carrara marble flooring, engineered oak paneling, and an artwork by Aldo Chaparro define the lobby. In the apartments, wood-look floors and white plaster walls create a warm domestic atmosphere. The façade incorporates different glazing specifications according to orientation, while balconies and dual blind systems regulate solar exposure and temperature, ensuring consistent thermal comfort throughout the building.

Additional sustainability measures include rainwater harvesting systems used to irrigate on-site landscaping and surrounding public green areas.

ICON Cibeles is experienced in close relationship with the Glorieta de la Cibeles and the energy of Roma Norte: a balance between urban vitality and domestic calm. The project demonstrates how architecture can responsibly densify the city while enhancing its public life, urban character, and long-term quality.