Madero
This opaque cube rises 15 meters high above one of the most heavily trafficked highways in Guatemala City.
The neutral exterior is studded with cars which acts a kind of roadside icon, putting a smile on the faces of drivers as they quickly pass or eternally idle in a traffic jam.
By contrast, the interior is layered with textures and colors, playing against the rigidity of the exposed structural skeleton- much like seeing the backside of a billboard.
This oasis in the middle of the roadside functions much like a greenhouse. The central space is illuminated by sawtooth skylights, complimented by passive cooling. Rainwater from the roof is collected in giant blue tanks and used to maintain the tropical planting.