LOCATION: Ovidio Lagos St. & 9 de Julio St. - Rosario, Argentina.

 

PROJECT

Matías Imbern

Marcelo Mirani

 

TEAM

Andrés Bertoni [Team Leader]

Maria Laura Valerio [Project Manager]

Agustín Solar [Construction Manager]

María Fernanda Martinez [Construction Manager]

Carolina Reyes [Construction Manager]

Matias Tofoletti [Construction Manager]

Nicolas Scioli [Construction Manager]

Leandro Granitto [Preliminary Design]

Eugenia Mirande [Logistics]

Ariel Chirino [Renders]

Addis Magali Hoffmann [Graphics]

 

CONSULTANTS
Civil Eng. Gustavo Bordachar

 

YEAR 2021

 

DESCRIPTION:

The project is situated along the First Perimeter Ring encircling the city center of Rosario—an area currently undergoing significant architectural renewal. Positioned on a prominent corner at the intersection of Ovidio Lagos Avenue and 9 de Julio Street, the site lies within an urban corridor characterized by its regulatory allowance for a maximum building height of 31.5 meters. This strategic location, and particularly the corner condition, presents a unique opportunity for expressive and constructive experimentation, prompting a departure from conventional design solutions.

On 9 de Julio Street, the proposal embraces a quasi-isolated tower configuration, set back from the western party wall. This approach acknowledges the lower likelihood of immediate densification on that frontage, allowing the project to assert a more autonomous architectural presence.

The development program comprises a mixed-use building, incorporating residential units, parking facilities, and a commercial space. Spatial allocation responds thoughtfully to the urban context and traffic dynamics of each street: the commercial unit is located along the more active Ovidio Lagos Avenue; vehicular access and parking are relegated to 9 de Julio Street; and the residential lobby is strategically positioned at the corner to reinforce urban connectivity.

Climatic orientation and environmental quality informed the organization of the floor plan. The vertical circulation core is placed on the south façade to minimize solar gain, while the residential units are oriented towards the north and east to maximize natural light, ventilation, and open views. These strategies enhance interior comfort and spatial perception.

Aligned with the office’s ongoing research into typological innovation, the project explores a variety of unit configurations—ranging from one- to three-bedroom apartments. Notably, the two-bedroom units are designed with a flexible layout that allows conversion into three-bedroom dwellings, accommodating the evolving needs of contemporary households and diverse family structures. Upper levels include accessible terraces offering sweeping views of Parque Independencia and the wider urban landscape.

Structurally, the building employs a hybrid system that combines traditional reinforced concrete with prefabricated steel components, leveraging the specific advantages of each material. In the basement and parking levels, slender hollow-core concrete slabs capitalize on the generous 4-meter ground-floor height, enabling the inclusion of a mezzanine level for additional parking capacity. Above ground, a prefabricated steel frame is utilized for its structural efficiency and rapid assembly. A distinctive strategy is introduced, consisting of branched structural elements that negotiate load transfers and liberate the ground floor from rigid supports, enhancing spatial fluidity and public engagement.

The entire project is geometrically organized around a 3-by-3-meter modular grid, which serves both as a structural framework and a generative principle for residential layout. This modulation is legible on the building’s façade, where a combination of open and enclosed modules, in concert with articulated shading devices, defines the project’s visual identity. The façade intentionally omits coverage of certain modules, generating incisions that differentiate balconies and subtly express the individuality of each housing unit.