A new high-rise emerges in Mexico City

Be Grand Reforma is a new high-rise building project in Mexico City, Mexico. It will be the tallest building in its area, with unique and challenging characteristics due to Mexico being one of the highest earthquake-prone areas in the world.

Probably its most unique characteristic is that it will have a foundation that is over 200 ft deep, the deepest foundation wall in Mexico.  This is partly to accommodate its 8 floors of underground parking, but largely to account for its poor soil condition and high seismicity.  Upon completion, it will stand at 50 stories high, and will be a combination of offices and residences, with the top four floors being used as luxury residences called Sky Villas.

Dynamis Mission

As experts in earthquake engineering, Dynamis was enlisted by IDU, the Be Grand Reforma project developer, to conduct an independent peer review of the site-specific and the structural engineering calculations performed by WSP USA, Inc.  Design of high-rise buildings often requires an advanced structural analysis with design complexities.  Thus, independent peer review is often recommended, and at times, necessary, because it brings subject-specific expertise and wider perspective in identifying material, loading aspects and configuration when designing a building with unique conditions.  In addition, when a design is submitted for permit under the alternative means and methods clause, the ASCE 7 requires the use of peer review.