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Torre Reforma, a 246-metre office tower in Mexico City, won the 2018/19 International Highrise Award. The “world’s best high-rise” label refers to that biennial award—not an objective ranking of every skyscraper worldwide. The award recognized a combination of sustainability, architectural form, interior use, and social and urban-planning considerations.
What the award recognized
Designed by L. Benjamín Romano for Fondo Hexa, S.A. de C.V., Torre Reforma was completed in December 2016. The award record lists 36 nominated projects and five finalists in the 2018/19 cycle. The organizer says its prize is awarded every two years to a high-rise that brings together sustainability, exterior form, internal use of space, and social and urban-planning considerations. International Highrise Award criteria and the Torre Reforma project record.
The award page also explains that a building on Paseo de la Reforma may be no more than twice the street’s width in height without a setback or taper. It links that rule to the inward bend in one of Torre Reforma’s concrete walls above 200 metres. This is the award organizer’s explanation for this building, not a general rule for every Mexico City skyscraper.
How the tower is designed to respond to earthquakes
The award organizer describes the tower’s triangular footprint as two massive exposed-concrete outer walls paired with a glass side. The concrete walls extend 60 metres into the ground. Their construction and supporting elements are described as follows:
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- Intentional seams: The concrete was poured in stages, leaving seams intended as predetermined breaking points where earthquake forces could act without disturbing the structure’s static equilibrium.
- Large wall openings: The award page calls these openings “crumple zones,” describing them as part of the structure’s response to seismic forces.
- Flexible steel bracing: Steel braces support the floors and connect to flexible hinges in front of the glass façade.
The award page reports that after the severe September 2017 earthquake, the observed damage was “a handful of fine, harmless cracks in the concrete seams.” That is the organizer’s account; it is not an independent engineering assessment. The report does not establish that the tower is earthquake-proof or demonstrate how it would perform in every future earthquake.
Which sustainability features are reported?
The award record lists LEED Platinum certification and a commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030. It also describes these building systems and design features:
- Rainwater and wastewater are reused for the air-conditioning cooling towers, with the award page reporting no drainage to the city sewer.
- Naturally ventilated patios and horizontal aluminum shades are used.
- Building services are monitored separately by cluster to support energy-efficiency optimization.
- An automated parking system accommodates 480 cars. The award page says the system avoids toxic fumes and that the garage could be converted to office space if transport patterns change.
These are claims recorded by the International Highrise Award, not independently verified operational results. The award page also says the building permit required 80,000 trees to be planted across the city; this is a citywide figure, not a count of trees at the tower.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the award does—and does not—mean
The award is a jury-recognized distinction based on the organizer’s stated criteria, rather than a universal measurement of which high-rise is “best.” The project record establishes Torre Reforma’s award, design description, and the organizer’s reported earthquake outcome and environmental features. It does not provide an independent engineering review or separate verification of the building’s certification and operating performance.
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