Megaciudades National Geographic

The Tower Mayor: A Symbol of Resilience

Overview of the Tower Mayor

• The Tower Mayor, standing at 55 floors, is the tallest skyscraper in Latin America and symbolizes a new era for Mexico City post the devastating earthquake of 1985.

• Following the earthquake, emergency regulations limited construction to four levels, but over time this fear diminished as advancements in engineering emerged.

Engineering Innovations

• Architects and engineers transformed fears into challenges, leading to innovative designs that allowed for taller buildings while ensuring safety against seismic activity.

• Architect Arturo Aispuro describes the Tower Mayor as exceptionally safe due to its concrete and steel structure combined with advanced seismic technology.

Seismic Protection Features

• The tower incorporates 98 seismic dampers within its steel framework, designed to absorb earthquake impacts and maintain structural integrity.

• Unlike conventional buildings that sway during earthquakes, the Tower Mayor can flex in three dimensions thanks to its unique design.

Foundation and Stability

• The building is anchored by 251 concrete piles reaching depths of 60 meters into stable ground, allowing it to withstand tremors up to a magnitude of 8.5 on the Richter scale.

• During a real test in 2003 when an earthquake measured 7.6 occurred, occupants reported minimal sensation of movement due to effective damping systems.

Safety Measures and Emergency Protocols

• The design aims not only at structural safety but also at preventing panic among occupants during emergencies; power supply redundancy ensures continuous lighting.

• With multiple energy sources feeding into the building, any outage triggers automatic switches that redirect power seamlessly.

Elevator Systems and Evacuation Strategies

• Elevators are equipped with advanced sensors that halt operation during seismic events, ensuring passenger safety by stopping at nearest floors.

• In case of emergencies where exits may be blocked, an emergency exit system has been integrated into the tower's design for efficient evacuation.

Conclusion: A Revolution in Design

Myths Surrounding Torre Mayor Construction

The Myth of Fatalities in High-Rise Construction

• There is a prevalent myth that during the construction of high-rise buildings, such as Torre Mayor, it was almost a tradition for someone to lose their life.

• This belief suggested that for every ten floors constructed, there would be a fatality, creating an unwritten rule or norm within the industry.

• However, Torre Mayor defied this expectation; no fatalities occurred during its construction.

• The absence of deaths challenges long-standing assumptions about safety in skyscraper building practices.