After completing a master plan for a new free-trade financial services district near Santo Domingo, the client asked Bernard Tschumi Architects to design the signature structure of the commercial zone, an office building to be called the LAIFEX.

At every point in the project's development, there was a clear emphasis on having premiere office facilities, comparable and competitive with the best offerings of key financial centers around the globe. The offices are arranged in a ring around a central court, which contains meticulously groomed gardens as well as some public parts of the program, including a press center and auditorium. A gourmet restaurant replaces the traditional office cafeteria, and much of the ground floor is given over to an immense data center, capable of processing the enormous complexity the changing business of finance. more

Most visitors arrive at the project by bus from a transit center, removing security and traffic from the building. VIPs have a separate entrance.

As a symbol for the project, the tower proved to be an important design component for the project. Meant to house conference rooms and offices for VIP tenants, as well as event facilities, the tower provides both a symbol for the new district and, from inside, an overview of the financial campus, the leisure facilites and ocean club, and residential areas to come. back

Credits

SCHEDULE
Commission 2010,
Projected Completion 2013
SIZE
15,000 m2
BUDGET
n/a
CLIENT
Cefinte, S.A.
TEAM
Lead Designer: Bernard Tschumi. Key Personnel: Bernard Tschumi Architects: Kim Starr, Chris Lee, Joel Rutten, Kate Scott, Jocelyn Froimovich, Jerome Haferd, Clinton Peterson, Bart-Jan Polman, Colin Spoelman, Taylor Burgess, John Eastridge, Grace Robinson-Leo, Alison McIlvride. Engineers: Arup New York. Associated Architects: Obitarq. back

Program: Offices