Banco Ciudad Sees Green in Parque Patricios

Banco Ciudad's new headquarters will be a sustainable, distinctive addition to the Parque Patricios barrio.

The future just got a little brighter and greener for Banco de la Ciudad, but the green has more to do with architecture than quarterly profits.

The Buenos Aires-based bank has been planning a corporate headquarters relocation to the resurgent Parque Patricios neighborhood for some time. After careful evaluation of the 15 proposals by a prestigious panel of local architects, the Bank finally announced the winner of the design contest: London-based Foster + Partners.

David Summerfield, one of the firm’s design directors, described the importance of the project and the victory: “The project is Foster + Partners first office development in Argentina and we are looking forward to further developing our designs for Banco Ciudad de Buenos Aires. The plans will create a sustainable, distinctive headquarters for the bank, while drawing on the site’s industrial past to reinforce the unique character of the neighborhood.

The new building will incorporate a variety of sustainable features and should achieve LEED Silver accreditation upon completion. Banco Ciudad president Federico Sturzenegger says the new building will allow his company to streamline operations and reduce both risks and costs associated with operations currently spread out across eight facilities.

The announcement is another positive step for the redevelopment of Parque Patricios where the City of Buenos Aires is investing in a Tech District as well as extending the H Line of the Subte. Neighborhood residents should also benefit culturally considering Banco Ciudad’s commitment to the arts and support for annual events like arteBA.