Zaha Hadid unveils 'interlocking lattice' design for luxury apartments in Monterrey, Mexico

London-based Zaha Hadid Architects unveiled its design for a luxury multifamily project in Huajuco Canyon, Monterrey, Mexico, Gizmag reports.

The complex, called Esfera City Cemyer, is made out of a nine-story building taking the form of a U-shape, with 981 apartments spread over 1.4 million sf—a design which the architects call “community orientated.”

Units will vary from small lofts of 484 sf to four-bedroom apartments up to 1,776 sf. The orientation of each apartment will help reduce the effects of the sun.

Built adjacent to a 7.4-acre public park, residents will have easy access to the outdoors, as well as a clubhouse with a café, exercise room, workshop, and reading room.

“The building’s envelope references the local architectural language and Mexican tradition of interlocking lattice geometries to provide shading and describe the outdoor space of each residence,” the firm said in a statement. “These lattice geometries have been used widely throughout pre-Columbian, colonial, and contemporary Mexican architecture to give protection from the sun and generate varied and dynamic displays of light and shadow.”

According to Gizmag, this low-rise, high-density project is slated for completion in 2018.

Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present a host of challenges for building teams, according to José R. Rivera, PE, Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.