Downtown Hotel

Project Description

It is located near “El Zocalo”, right at the heart of the old city, where the Aztecs first settled and later the Spaniards built churches and palaces using the existing stones that had been part of the Aztec pyramids.
“Downtown” is housed within a magnificent palace, as a witness to the 17th-century architecture. Known as the “Palacio de los Condes de Miravalle”, the red volcanic rock walls, the multiple doors, quarrystone window frames and handmade cement tiles, along with the glorious courtyards and a spectacular stone staircase, give the building the unique flair of a Mexican regal style. The intervention preserved the original façades and the main walls. Although we used the general distribution of space, a new and contemporary appearance was realised, endowing the building with a new identity and character.
The architectural features are both original and innovative, with a combination of boutique hotel and hostel within the same building. The two concepts are spatially separate, functioning as two different elements. The access floor welcomes the visitor into an interior atrium of triple height, a clear indication of the important colonial heritage. The ground floor has two other interior courtyards, which separate the spaces and surround the corridors, resembling a hacienda.
The atria allow natural light and ventilation into the hotel and therefore decrease the use of energy, artificial light and air conditioning. The guest rooms are located on the first and second floors and are attractively designed in neutral tones, spiced up with retro lamps and custom-designed furniture.
Traditional red brick is a protagonist throughout the interiors. We used this striking material to design a lattice featured in the rooms. The rooftop features a restaurant and a pool, affording panoramic views of the city and crowning the project.