New CAF building in Uruguay will boost social and cultural life in Montevideo

The new offices of CAF—development bank of Latin America—in Uruguay will be located next to the gates of the old quarters, a short walk from Torre Ejecutiva, in a building that for many years was home to the Montevideo Central Market. The new building aims to become a cornerstone of the social and cultural life of the Uruguayan capital.

The new building is constructed upon the old market structure, spanning a 15,500-square-meter area, and its construction involved a USD 40-million investment. In addition to the offices of the multilateral agency, the building will house the renovated Cinemateca complex, including three movie theaters with a combined capacity of up to 406 spectators, and will accommodate other areas such as the legendary “Fun Fun” bar, and a parking garage with more than 300 spaces.

The 15,500 square meters are distributed as follows:

• CAF offices - 4,700 sqm
• CAF Parking and Services - 5,350 sqm
• Movie theater complex - 1,400 sqm
• Fun-Fun Bar - 250 sqm
• IM Parking - 3,500 sqm
• Solís Theatre Service Area - 300 sqm
• Outdoor areas - 8,000 sqm

With this project, CAF will consolidate its presence in Uruguay and in the South Region, and will revitalize a strategic area for the city. The project is in line with the objective of the Montevideo administration to promote the creation of the so-called “Barrio de las Artes,” and will set off a process of commercial revitalization for the historic center of the city.

The construction project started when CAF’s proposal was sent to the City of Montevideo, owner of the old Central Market, which wanted to add value to the premises due to its history and prime location. The parties agreed and soon decided that this was the perfect place for the future building, opposite the Torre Ejecutiva office building and a stone’s throw from the Solís Theater, in the heart of the old town.

This gave rise to a national preliminary competition to design the structure of the building, organized by CAF and sponsored by the Architects’ Association of Uruguay. The winners of the open competition were architects Carlos Labat, Pierino Porta, Nicolás Scioscia and Fernando Romero (LAPS Arquitectos).

The proposal was evaluated and approved by the Departmental Board of Montevideo, which authorized the architects to develop the executive project, thus starting off the works.

The outdoor areas are joined by a continuous flooring texture and, as per the recommendations provided in the rules of the national competition of architectural preliminary projects, Bartolomé Mitre street, between Camacuá and Reconquista, and Camacuá street between Ciudadela and Bartolomé Mitre as semi-pedestrian roads. A new square was built at the southern end of Bartolmé Mitre street and the “Golda Meir” sculpture was relocated, from its previous site at the corner of Ciudadela and Reconquista.

The building was constructed under efficiency and sustainability criteria. A rainwater collection system was put in place for use in facilities and for irrigation. Lighting and heating are equipped with a control system that ensures efficiency and energy savings. A metal mesh was installed around the building to protect it from the sun. Based on these features, the project qualifies for the LEED© certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) granted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

With this new building, CAF reinforces its commitment to Uruguay and the South Region. In the last 5 years, the multilateral agency has approved USD 60 billion in financing for Latin American development, and has approved over USD 5 billion for the promotion of Uruguay’s strategic sectors since 2010.