AEME is a commercial building located in Guatemala City, designed to blend urban openness with functional spaces. The ground floor features an open-plan layout tailored for commercial activities and dining. The second floor serves a dual purpose, combining commercial areas with office spaces, while the third floor is exclusively dedicated to offices. A prominent high entrance connects the first floor directly to the street, emphasizing accessibility and extending the public realm into the building.
The building includes a tenant-accessible terrace on the fifth floor and four underground parking levels. Central to the design is an atrium that floods the interior with natural light. Two panoramic elevators are located within this space, opposite a sculptural staircase crafted from metal and white marble, creating a striking architectural feature.
For this project, contemporary visual artists Luis González Palma, Andrea Monroy Palacios, Angel Poyón, Alejandro Paz, Gabriel Rodríguez, and Darío Escobar were invited to create artworks integrated directly with the architectural elements.
The building’s design concept reflects the passage of time. Its precise geometric forms are combined with vertical framing elements that create a cyclic gradient effect across different levels. While time is inherently rigid, the architects aimed to soften the façade by incorporating circular and exact geometric shapes, breaking the strict lines in an elegant manner.
The building’s exterior is painted in a deep charcoal gray, chosen for its neutrality and timelessness. This dark tone accentuates the softer, natural elements of the façade, such as wood and light, which bring warmth and vitality. Transparency and the use of natural light are key features that enliven the architectural space.
Project Drawings
△ Negative Fourth Floor Plan
△ Negative Third Floor Plan
△ Negative Second Floor Plan
△ Negative First Floor Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Fourth Floor Plan
△ Fifth Floor Plan
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
Project Information
Architect: Paz Arquitectura
Area: 10,702 m²
Year: 2021
Photographer: Cristobal Palma / Estudio Palma
Manufacturers: Hunter Douglas, Aluver, Coverlam, Neocrete, Tecto
Lead Architect: Alejandro Paz
Architectural Design: Paz Arquitectura
Structural Design: Sismoconsult – Dr. Hector Monzón Despang
Project Development and Management: URBOP
Electrical Design: Instelectra
Special Devices Design and Coordination: CYGNUM
Hydraulic Design: Hidromaq / Plotecnia
Lighting Design: LUCE – MA Lighting Design, Architect Eli Porres
Landscape Design: ENVERDEE – Giullia Gobbato
Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up