The architects at Grupo Arkhos, based in Juarez, Mexico, turned to an unconventional source when designing a new student center for Monterrey Tech University: previously used shipping containers. The recycled pods are used for 80 percent of the building’s structure, allowing the project team to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction process. The stacked containers are cantilevered out to create voids and interrupted by garage doors, creating an informal central gathering space for the students. The building is surrounded by shade-producing mature trees, which means that, for the majority of the year, the building’s HVAC system can be shut off and the building cooled by breezes allowed in through operable windows.
Jury Quotes
“It’s a building about construction, and it’s a building about simple found objects. Yet it achieves an interesting energy, a strong presence, and a dynamic expression through these cantilevers and colors. And I think it’s a really clever and thoughtful project. It elevates humble technologies, materials, connections, and forms to something that is really unique to experience.” —Andre Kikoski
“I like that it showcases metal not only on the exterior, but that it’s [metal is] featured on a lot of different components on the interior. From the outside, you’ll definitely know it’s a metal building. But on the inside, the color schemes and the different profiles of the wall and ceiling panels make it a showcase of design flexibility with metal.” —Scott Kriner
Project Credits
Project Student Center Monterrey Tech University, Juarez, Mexico
Client Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM)
Architect Grupo Arkhos, Juarez and Mexico City, Mexico—Ruben Escobar-Urrutia, Ricardo Pacheco-Lopez (co-principals)
General Contractor ITESM Construction Department
Metal Product Installer VV Ingenieria en Cristal
Size 7,000 gross square feet
Metal Products
Cladding Alcoa (Reynobond composite aluminum panels, Silver Duragloss 5000 coating) alcoa.com
Shading Hunter Douglas Contract (Celoscreen Sun Louvers) hunterdouglascontract.com