On Ricardo Flores Magón Avenue, in the north of Mexico City, stands a huge skyscraper whose triangular prism shape has become an emblem of the Conjunto Habitacional Nonoalco Tlatelolco, "the city within the city". We are talking about the Insignia Tower, formerly known as the Banobras Tower; a building that, at the time, merged the best of urban planning and public architecture, thus rethinking the traditional forms on which modern Mexico was built.
The importance of the Insignia Tower is such that even the adjacent Tlatelolco Metro station borrows its unique silhouette to give shape to the logo that represents it. It is a work of the visionary Mario Pani that, like the rest of the constructions in his catalog, appeals to functionality, without leaving aside the implicit aesthetic value.
The construction of the 127-meter high, 25-story building began in 1959 and was completed in 1962, the same year of its inauguration. This occurred shortly before the housing complex opened the doors of the almost 12,000 apartments that comprise it, since the tenants needed a place where they could make their monthly payments, as well as pay their utilities. At that time it was the second largest building in the capital, behind only the immortal Torre Latinoamericana. It is currently the third tallest building on Insurgentes Avenue, since the 24,000 square meter property reaches this important artery of the city.
During its construction, the most significant challenge for the engineers was to deal with the unstable terrain of the area. By the 1960s, due to population growth and the rising cost of land, it was essential to abandon the typical horizontal construction model -very common in older neighborhoods- in favor of verticality. Of course, it was not an easy task since, as we all know, this is an area with high seismic activity. Thus, the Insignia Tower was one of the first towers in the world to use earthquake damping technology, in addition to using materials such as steel, aluminum and reinforced concrete. In fact, it is still considered one of the safest buildings in the country, since in theory it can withstand an earthquake of 8.5 on the Richter scale, something that in practice it has already demonstrated after surviving 8 earthquakes intact.
However, the desolation and paranoia that followed the 1985 earthquake took too heavy a toll on the Insignia Tower and, in general, on the entire neighborhood. After housing for almost 30 years the offices of the National Bank of Public Works (BANOBRAS) which, together with the ISSSTE, practically financed the housing project, the building fell into complete abandonment. This is particularly visible in the abstract murals that adorn the top of the pyramid, which today look incomplete and without a defined plan to rescue them.
Motivos Tlatelolcas', by Guatemalan artist Carlos Mérida, is the name given to the Torre Insignia's plastic work. It is made up of Venetian mosaics that, as a whole, represent Tlaloc and Ehecatl based on geometric figures. However, according to Louise Noelle, a UNAM specialist, the mural experienced difficulties since its genesis. Due to the lack of resources, Mérida could not take care of the placement of the pieces, so Pani ordered the workers to install them. In addition, the author did not charge a single peso for his contribution.
After 22 years of defenselessness, the Insignia Tower was taken from BANOBRAS and, in 2011, acquired by the U.S. company Cushman & Wakefiel, through a public auction. That same year, remodeling work began, which included changing the side windows for more modern and lighter ones; repairing the foundations and electrical installations; maintenance of the elevator machinery; as well as changes in the interior finishes. The parking lot was also reconstructed and now has a capacity for 600 cars. The building is currently valued at $24 million pesos and is inhabited by the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) and the offices of the National Open and Distance University of Mexico (UNADM).
As a curious fact, the top of the building is crowned by a carillon, which is a system of 47 bells operated by a mechanical keyboard, a gift from the Belgian government in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Mexico's Independence. Unfortunately, the device is no longer in use and the chimes are inaudible to the residents of Tlatelolco who, in spite of everything, still find pride and comfort in their Torre Insignia. The eternal watchtower of the "city within the city".
