Torre Sevilla

Seville, Spain
1.9 million square feet / 173,000 square meters
2013

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was selected to design the new Cajasol development in an international competition. Located on the site of the 1992 World’s Fair in Seville, the development consists of a 37-​story, multi-​tenant office tower combined with a 4-​story podium containing office and retail space.

The tower will define the new skyline of Seville. It will be harmonious with important Seville landmarks and will engage in a dialog with La Giralda, church spires and the masts along the bridges that contribute to the rich character of the city.

The curved edges of the podium buildings will define a plaza that opens on the north and south and narrows at the center, creating a pedestrian-​scaled commercial street, protected from the sun. In the north, the plaza will grow to accommodate some café terraces, shaded with orange and jacaranda trees. A long canopy and three linear fountains will extend through the center of this area, guiding people to the entry of an auditorium located under the plaza.

The tower has a simple and pure geometry. A delicate form, the tower becomes thinner in diameter as it rises. The building is elliptical in shape, with its narrow side facing the city. Topped with a public terrace and a restaurant, the building will offer spectacular views of the city

Multiple strategies address the strong Sevillan sun and create a visible reminder of the building’s environmental sustainability. The podium buildings will include a green roof to reduce heat absorption. Accessible to the public, the roof will offer open space for walking and recreation. To protect pedestrians from the sun, there will be a retractable canvas awning that can be easily extended between buildings during the hottest time of year. The design of the tower’s exterior wall also incorporates sun control devices. Horizontal and vertical shading devices of reconstituted wood will be used throughout the façade.