Tonal 15 | Csar BejarThe Tonal 15 project, designed by CRB Architects, is a unique architectural intervention that successfully merges aesthetic restraint with thoughtful urban design. Located in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, this project embraces the challenge of a triangular plot at the busy intersection of Insurgentes Avenue and Tonal Street. Through innovative use of space, materials, and form, Tonal 15 contributes to the local urban fabric and promotes community interaction and sustainable practices.Tonal 15 Technical InformationArchitects: CRB ArquitectosLocation: Tonal 15, Roma Norte, Mexico City, MexicoArea: 3,350 m2 | 36,059Sq. Ft.Completion Year: 2023Photographs: Csar BejarThe inspiration comes from the idea of creating an element that stands out for its simplicity and materiality while being integrated with the urban context. CRB ArquitectosTonal 15 PhotographsStreet View | Csar BejarCorner Detail | Csar BejarCorner Detail | Csar BejarLobby | Csar BejarLobby | Csar BejarInterior Space | Csar BejarRoof Garden | Csar BejarBathroom | Csar BejarRoof Garden | Csar BejarAerial View | Csar BejarAerial View | Csar BejarContextual Relevance and Urban IntegrationWith its eclectic mix of architectural styles and vibrant street life, the Roma neighborhood is one of Mexico Citys most culturally rich areas. CRB Architects approached this site with a deep respect for Romas character, seeking to create a building that integrates into its environment and enhances the urban landscape. Tonal 15 addresses this goal with a refined aesthetic and functional design revitalizing its surroundings.The triangular plot presented a significant spatial challenge, requiring careful planning to maximize utility and aesthetic impact. This unusual shape compelled the architects to adopt an innovative layout, enabling the building to integrate seamlessly with its urban surroundings. The structures sober, earthy tones and restrained material palette complement the areas color scheme, allowing the building to blend with and elevate the existing architecture without dominating it.Beyond aesthetics, the project aspires to positively impact the local economy and community, offering a mixed-use housing approach that accommodates short-term, medium-term, and permanent residents. This variety fosters diverse social interactions, creating a sense of community among tenants and supporting local businesses in Roma, ultimately enhancing the neighborhoods livability and vibrancy.Architectural Language and Design IntentCRB Architects employ a minimalist yet impactful design language, focusing on simplicity, material integrity, and harmony with the surrounding context. Tonal 15s facades feature a clean, orderly grid structure, emphasizing verticality and creating visual rhythm along Insurgentes Avenue. Using pigmented exposed concrete in an earthy tone integrates the building into the urban context and ensures that it will develop a patina over time, further blending with the natural environment and aging gracefully.A particularly striking element of the design is the tilted columns on the ground floor, which subtly lean inward, creating an inviting gesture toward the street. This design choice fosters a sense of openness, drawing pedestrians into the public plaza at the buildings tip. The mixed-use approach of Tonal 15combining residential spaces with commercial areas on the ground floorreflects the architects intent to enrich the neighborhoods social landscape. By offering spaces for varied uses, the building caters to a diverse group of inhabitants, enhancing the dynamic, multifaceted character of Roma.Interior Experience and Functional AdaptabilityInside, Tonal 15 continues to showcase CRB Architects commitment to thoughtful design, adapting to the limitations of the triangular plot to create a highly efficient layout. Each floor accommodates four apartments, ranging from 50 to 54 square meters, with carefully designed circulation paths that minimize distance from the entrance to each residence. The panoramic elevators and staircases optimize vertical movement and provide visual connectivity to the street, allowing inhabitants to feel connected to the urban environment even as they move through the building.The material palette in Tonal 15s interiors reinforces its architectural themes of simplicity and warmth. Public areas feature durable granite and recinto stone, creating a sophisticated yet robust atmosphere, while private spaces incorporate New Navona marble and wood paneling to provide a softer, more inviting ambiance. The choice of materials creates a sense of unity across spaces, enhancing the buildings identity while allowing for distinct atmospheres that suit both communal and private settings.Sustainability is integral to the buildings design, with features like a rainwater harvesting system, a vertical oasis of planted terraces, and bicycle parking in the basement. These elements reflect a commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting green living, enhancing user experience and the buildings relationship with the urban landscape.Structural Innovation and Technical SolutionsThe structural design of Tonal 15 is a testament to CRB Architects skill in addressing complex engineering challenges. The sites low soil resistance required a deeply anchored foundation, with piles reaching 40 meters beneath the surface. This foundation supports a prefabricated formwork and a seismic isolation system, ensuring the buildings stability on a small, irregular plot. The choice of prefabrication streamlined construction, allowing the project to be completed in just 18 months despite the sites limitations.Attention to detail is evident throughout the building, from the ribbed pigmented concrete stairs that add a sculptural quality to the circulation core to the black slim carpentry system that enhances the buildings thermal and acoustic insulation. These carefully crafted elements elevate the functional components of the building, transforming them into architectural highlights.Tonal 15 PlansGround Level | CRB ArquitectosTypical Floor Plan | CRB ArquitectosRoof Level | CRB ArquitectosLongitudinal Section | CRB ArquitectosTonal 15 Image GalleryAbout CRB ArquitectosCRB Arquitectos is a forward-thinking architecture firm known for its commitment to creating spaces that blend seamlessly with urban contexts while enhancing users quality of life. The firm integrates landscape and architecture, emphasizing sustainability, simplicity, and functional elegance across projects. Guided by a philosophy of material honesty and adaptability, CRB Architects excels in designing buildings that engage with their surroundings and foster social connections. Their designs are characterized by clean lines, rhythmic structures, and an enduring harmony between form and function.Notes & Additional CreditsClient: SEDEDesign Team: Sebastin Canales, Javier Rivero Borrell, Regina Kuri, Carmen Alfaro, and Alejandra lvarezStructure: Ubando Ingeniera (liver Ubando) and Amador TernConstruction: SecuenciaInterior Design: Estudio MTotal Investment: $29,000 per mPlot Shape: TriangularConstruction Area per Apartment: 50 54 mFoundation Depth: 40 meters