Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto officially inaugurated the Great Monument, commemorating the centennial of the Mexican Army, in a ceremony at Campo Marte in Mexico City. The monument integrates two dramatic elements that symbolize the strength of the Mexican Army and the work of the Armed Forces over 100 years. An important component in its design and construction was RHEINZINK material from RHEINZINK America Inc.
Designed by noted architect Agustín Hernández Navarro, the monument represents the architect’s impression of a military cannon. The striking abstract shape incorporates multiple planes, slopes and sharp angles.
Approximately 1,025 square meters (11,033 square feet) of RHEINZINK prePATINA blue-grey Reveal Panels clad the major vertical structure of the monument and are complemented with stainless steel panels on the adjoining element.
Installation of the RHEINZINK panels was completed ahead of schedule by RHEINZINK Distributor Sistemas de Fachadas in cooperation with its installer Ypasa, both from Mexico City, in spite of tight time constraints and a rigorous approval process by the Mexican government. Sistemas de Fachadas provides service throughout Latin America with offices and warehouses in Mexico, Columbia and Panama.
According to Sistemas de Fachadas CEO Mario Kok, “The monument is an ideal showcase for the creativity that RHEINZINK provides architects. The flexibility and versatility of the architectural zinc in designing interesting shapes and installations makes RHEINZINK a perfect solution for challenging projects.”
RHEINZINK’s ability to withstand harsh environments was another reason for its specification. “The architect wanted a product that would last a lifetime in high contamination conditions. Mexico City has some of the busiest traffic in the world and the monument is located right next to one of the most congested streets in the city. RHEINZINK was the perfect choice.”
Fabrication of the Reveal Panels was done by V-MET in Austria. “The complex engineering required extensive shop drawings—everything had to fit perfectly. I think we only cut a handful of panels at the site,” Kok said. “The RHEINZINK Reveal Panels allowed very rapid installation under a tight timeline. The monument is a great new tourist attraction along the Paseo de la Reforma.”