Foster + Partners has revealed designs for Sudameris Plaza, the bank’s new state-of-the-art headquarters in Asunción. Won through an international competition, the 39 storey (188-metre-tall) office tower will be a new landmark for the city of Asunción and Paraguay. The building has an expressed concrete frame and distinctive form, which will become emblematic of the skyline. The project includes a landscaped plaza, art gallery, auditorium, and large public garden at the base of the tower.
David Summerfield, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “We are delighted to be working with Sudameris to create a new green landmark in the city. The elegant tower rises up from the green, shaded gardens at its base, creating an exciting new destination with cafes, shops and social spaces that are completely immersed in nature. The greenery travels up the building through sky gardens, improving wellbeing by offering varied breakout spaces that generate new connections with nature.”
A grand double-height lobby space welcomes employees and visitors into the tower. The lobby is set back from the street to create a covered walkway around the base of the building, which leads to a vibrant public garden at the heart of the site. This new green space is flanked by a range of low-rise shops, cafes, and cultural buildings that activate the ground plane and draw people into the development. All trees on the site will either be retained or relocated to an adjacent public plaza, creating a leafy and serene environment for the public to enjoy.
Sudameris will occupy the first six floors and the two highest levels of the tower, while the levels between will be leased as commercial office space. The area per floor is 1,200 square metres – and large 12-metre floorplates on the north side of the building create open plan workspaces with maximum flexibility. These double and triple-height spaces connect with green outdoor terraces, where employees can relax and socialise together. On the south side of the building, breakout and collaboration spaces overlook the new public garden, providing another calming connection with nature from inside the tower. Spectacular private offices, a boardroom and private gallery space occupy the two highest levels of the tower and offer panoramic views of the city from expansive terraces.
Niall Dempsey, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners, said: “The tower’s restrained elegance and timeless form symbolise the bank’s enduring presence in the region.”
Juan Frigerio, Partner, Foster + Partners, added: “Working closely with Sudameris, we are creating a vibrant new destination at the base of the tower, providing a range of green and cultural spaces that will establish a valuable public space for this growing city.”
