All images courtesy of MG2
last detail: architectural leader
Community Building and Costco Young professional Maribel Barba aia, shares the story of a unique city-enhancing big box project in Mexico City. As a young project architect with MG2’s Seattle office, Puerto Rican native Maribel Barba aia, was very involved with large retail projects for brandname clients including Target, Kohl’s and Costco Wholesale. So when an opportunity came up with a unique, highly sustainable and community-focused Costco project in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Mexico City, Barba had all the credentials to help lead the design.
“Seeing the positive impact of our work on the community— how it improves daily lives or solves a specific problem— is profoundly fulfilling.” Located in a prime location inside the 70-acre public park Parque La Mexicana, MG2 was asked to conceive of a design in the spirit of an agreement with the city’s parks commission which had allocated 30% of the green space for commercial development in exchange for companies covering the park’s operating costs. What emerged was truly remarkable. The 0.5-million-sq.-ft. Costco warehouse, parking garage and loading dock is largely concealed under what has to be the largest green roof ever to cover a retail building. But wait, there’s more. The green roof houses 10 native plants and 15 insect hotels, a public soccer field, two basketball/volleyball courts, a padel court and a children’s skate park—all connected by walking, running and biking paths.
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ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS
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Maribel Barba, AIA, project architect with MG2’s Seattle office.
“If you are standing in Parque La Mexicana, you would never realize there is a Costco right underneath the park extension,” says Barba. “This might be one of the craziest projects I’ve ever seen,” stated Cherise Lakeside, senior spec writer, RDH Building Science, in a recent Arcat Detailed podcast interview with Barba. For example, the green roof had to be waterproofed and support the additional building load and seismic requirements. And the project had to meet the city’s strict environmental regulations on issues like water consumption and preserving trees around the perimeter.
WHERE’S COSTCO?
There’s a Costco hidden underneath this elaborate public park in Mexico City.
As part of the solution, greywater is reused to flush toilets and urinals and a water catchment system collects and stores stormwater which is then pumped back into recreational lakes and fountains throughout the park.
our efforts created a space that enriches lives and fosters a strong community spirit,” Barba reflects.
In addition, tall berms covered in native plants, trees, and grasses work to camouflage the warehouse exteriors and green facade screens with native crawling vegetation are planted at its base and cascade down from the roof above to further obscure the warehouse and parking structure. While incredibly challenging, the project was deeply rewarding.
Recipient of a 2022 Autodesk 40 Under 40 Champion of Construction award, one of Barba’s MG2 mentors, Principal Matthew Goelzer, aia, leed ap, said, “she is a technology champion and works effectively in a collaborative environment while advocating for integrated design. Maribel functions closely with the entire team—including owners, consultants and contractors—to maximize project results.”
“I went back to Costco Santa Fe after the entire project was completed and saw the community actively using the soccer fields and skate park, and admiring the green roof. That filled me with an immense sense of accomplishment, knowing that
Embracing the opportunity to effect change, Barba notes that architects are in a unique position to lend their technical knowledge and creative skills to foster community development, enhancing not just physical spaces but also the social experience.
05-06 . 2024
5/22/24 2:22 PM
2406AR