Creating Space with Prefab

Japanese Architectural firm Toyo Ito & Associates designed Museo Internacional del Barroco (MIB), on the edge of a park near the city of Puebla, Mexico, which is one of the country's most important cultural centers. The museum features 702 curved white concrete pieces between 18 and 25 meters high, comprised of 18,150 square meters divided into two levels. The prefabricated pieces enabled the curved form of each wall, while maintaining the highest quality finish. This technique helped to reduce the original execution time by 48%, eliminated use of on-site frame cramps, and lowered the consumption of white concrete by 40%—since the walls only required white concrete for exterior layers. The gap between the two layers of white concrete was filled by using self compacting Grey concrete.

Rafael Barona, Architect, DANSTEK

The Museum hosts examples of Baroque art ranging from painting, sculpture and fashion to architecture, music, theatre, literature and food. Fluted slabs white concrete with a bush-hammered finish forms the walls, while a crescent-shaped pond wraps the building, intended to create a visual connection with the park. To frame the main facade of the museum, a large square has been designed for visitors. This facade also receives night time projections of images related to current exhibitions, which also illuminate the museum.

Toyo Ito original renderingToyo Ito original Rendering 2013

Fact File
Building Name: Museo Internacional del Barroco
Location: Puebla, México
Year: 2015
Architect: Toyo Ito
Local Architect: Federico Bautista
Photos Patrick: Lopez
Structural Concept: ARQme Rafael Barona
Construction Engineering: ARQme
General Contractor: Hermes Infraestructura Prefabrication erection and structure work contractor: Danstek
Walls: Fapresa
Slabs: Bubbledeck México

Toyo ARqme

Site Plan

The building of 25 meters maximum height, is elevated 2m² from ground, and is easily recognizable from the two main roads, acting as a beacon. The MIB has two levels above ground. The total floor area is approximately 18,149 m2, of which 9,855 m² correspond to the lower floor (ground floor), 7,316 m² to the upper floor and 978 m2 to the mezzanine level. The structure consists of concrete walls and slabs that have been developed in collaboration with the Mexican company DANSTEK which specializes in developing construction process for state of the art buildings. The compose walls are made of a sandwich prefab panel with two layers of white concrete and cast in situ the interior of the panel. The precast part, consisting of two panels of 65 mm white concrete joined as a sandwich panel, also acts as a formwork whilst simultaneously controlling the final finish. The inside, cast onsite with grey concrete, merges the pieces together with the reinforcement, producing a monolithic wall.

ARQme 3d Print StructureARQme 3d Print of the structural solution 2014

Structure Description & Challenges

Prefabrication has been part of traditional construction for more than a century. Today, there is a big difference between building using prefab as a construction process than creating spaces out of prefab.

The strategy used to build the Baroque museum in the city of Puebla, posed a big challenge in producing a 36 cm (14") thick wall distributing the load from the slab that spans 25 x 25 meters (82´ x 82´) and certain extra requirements, besides security against earthquakes, acoustics and no of vibrations.

ARQme Toyo Designing slabARQme-Toyo ito 3d Structural Collaboration Designing the slab

The entire building has more than 15,600 sqm (167,917sq.f) of white structural concrete walls. Twenty Exhibition Halls in a sequence, surrounded by walls and no single column, provides flexibility to the exhibition space. Each white concrete wall never touches another wall at the corners, that means where the typical strength of the structure takes place in this project that's exactly where light penetrates the building. By the refraction of sunlight, the natural ambient of the interior is enhanced, and without compromising the art.

ARQme drawings molding processARQme drawings plywood ribs for molding process

There are no corners in the project, which means that the wall never creates a corner condition, and the there is no strength for lateral forces that a normal corner condition can do; instead we have a diaphragm made by the slab that transfers the loads from one wall to the other in order to achieve resistance. What gives stiffness to the structure is the curved endings of the walls; Curves are made out of cones, a primary figure that is easy to control over space and time, and without the need for special calculation or sophisticated analysis.

ARQme 3D rebar design

The solution was to use a Sandwich Wall

A hybrid solution was proposed for the project, using prefab elements to make the structure and the geometry gestures possible for both vertical and horizontal elements. But, also filling a voided wall in situ with structural concrete in order to create a monolithic wall, and pouring concrete on to the Bubble Deck Slab to create a rigid diaphragm.
  • structural white concrete wall
  • non-traditional forms limits
  • continuous wall from ground to the top
  • less joints on the surface
  • no contraction cracks
  • quality control in all the elements during the process
  • Time reduction
  • recovery time in case of a failure
  • geometry control over the entire process
Danstek Courtesy

The 68 cm (26.7") thick slab compose by bubble Deck prefabricated panels connects to the wall by using standard rebar. The entire solution has no welded or bolted connections, and no use of grout. At the end we wanted to create just a simple monolithic concrete structure.

Danstek Courtesy Museum

Construction Process

By using the prefab as a main source of geometry and form system, a 27-week timeframe was enough to build a 18,500m2 (193,750 sq.f) by using up to 22 simultaneous hydraulic cranes and also pouring concrete on slabs before walls where there. This allows the prefab manufacturer to extend the delivery time to the jobsite while they were producing more than 702 different walls. The panels include all mechanical and electrical-embedded accessories on the walls.
NBM&CW February 2019

No comments yet, Be the first one to comment on this.

Elematic: Transforming Construction using Precast Technology

Elematic: Transforming Construction using Precast Technology

Elematic, a global leader in precast concrete technology, showcased its cutting-edge precast solutions at bauma Munich 2025 and revealed how their latest innovations can accelerate construction by up to 50%, enhance cost competitiveness, and support the journey toward net zero.

Read more ...

Al Rashid Abetong Co. & Progress Group: Automating Precast Concrete Production

Al Rashid Abetong Co. & Progress Group: Automating Precast Concrete Production

Precast concrete manufacturer Al Rashid Abetong Co.’s strategic partnership with the Progress Group, a leader in automated machinery for the precast industry, has brought numerous benefits to the company.

Read more ...

Dextra's Groutec Precast Couplers for Faster Modern Precast Construction

Dextra's Groutec Precast Couplers for Faster Modern Precast Construction

By leveraging the benefits of Dextra’s Groutec Precast Couplers, construction companies can achieve faster, more reliable, and sustainable building solutions, paving the way for the future of the construction industry, avers, Bhargav Jog

Read more ...

The Power of Accelerated Concrete Curing: Curetec

The Power of Accelerated Concrete Curing: Curetec

André Dienst, Managing Director, Curetec Shanghai, discusses the vital role of Accelerated Concrete Curing and how the transformative technology can be harnessed to empower builders at construction sites across India.

Read more ...

AJAX Engineering: Revolutionizing Construction with Sustainable 3D Concrete Printing

AJAX Engineering: Revolutionizing Construction with Sustainable 3D Concrete Printing

We’re revolutionizing the construction industry with 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP). This technology reduces material waste, lowers labor costs, and speeds up project timelines while enhancing design flexibility. Our focus is on pushing

Read more ...

Curetec: Driving Innovations in Concrete Curing Technologies

Curetec: Driving Innovations in Concrete Curing Technologies

As infrastructure projects scale up globally, the demand for high-quality and durable concrete components is rising. Our innovations, such as precision-controlled curing chambers and adaptive curing technologies, position us to support

Read more ...

Putzmeister, SCHWENK & Rupp Complete Their 1st Mobile 3D-Printed House

Putzmeister, SCHWENK & Rupp Complete Their 1st Mobile 3D-Printed House

Putzmeister, SCHWENK, and Rupp complete their first joint building project - a house from a mobile 3D printer, a significant step forward for the construction industry and a powerful signal toward digitalization and sustainability.

Read more ...

Curetec's Concrete Curing System: Faster production times & Energy savings

Curetec's Concrete Curing System: Faster production times & Energy savings

Curetec continues to push the boundaries of energy-efficient technologies, with its advanced energy-saving Concrete Curing System, providing faster production times, and ensuring superior concrete quality.

Read more ...

Prefabrication for Affordable Housing Projects: Trimble Solutions

Prefabrication for Affordable Housing Projects: Trimble Solutions

Harsh Pareek, Regional Sales Director, India and SAARC, Trimble Solutions, highlights the transformative potential of prefabrication in the affordable housing sector, paving the way for a more efficient and sustainable future in construction.

Read more ...

Concrete 3D Printing Technology: Potential & Problems

Concrete 3D Printing Technology: Potential & Problems

A. V. Rahul, Assistant Professor & Divya S. Kurup, Research Scholar, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, IIT Tirupati, discuss the progress being made in 3D Concrete Printing, applications worldwide, and the ongoing

Read more ...

Innovative Construction Technologies for PMAY-U Light House Projects

Innovative Construction Technologies for PMAY-U Light House Projects

Urban India is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U), which aims to provide housing for all. To meet this ambitious goal, it's crucial to shift from traditional

Read more ...

3D Concrete Printing: A Look at Challenges & Future of Construction

3D Concrete Printing: A Look at Challenges & Future of Construction

Construction industry is the economic backbone of a country. The productivity of the projects in the construction industry is significantly influenced by formwork systems that consume huge project resources such as time, cost, material and

Read more ...

Boosting Precast Construction with Augmented Reality

Boosting Precast Construction with Augmented Reality

Blending virtual information with the real-world view, AR has become an effective tool in construction management to improve project planning, execution, and delivery. Bhavin Lakhani, Project Controls Specialist Lead, PMP, and CCM

Read more ...

3DXB Group Sets Guinness World Record for Largest 3D-Printed Villa in Dubai

3DXB Group Sets Guinness World Record for Largest 3D-Printed Villa in Dubai

3DXB Group, a leading innovator in 3D printing solutions for the construction industry, unveiled its achievement in making the world’s largest 3D-printed villa in Dubai. This groundbreaking project signifies a pivotal moment in the UAE

Read more ...

Rapidcast Boundary Walls: Best Quality Concrete Precast Textured Walls

Rapidcast Boundary Walls: Best Quality Concrete Precast Textured Walls

Rapidcast LLP brings to you for the first time in India the best quality concrete precast elements such as RCC precast compound walls and RRC precast stormwater UDrains. The new generation Rapidcast boundary wall/fence is a high quality precast

Read more ...

Elematic's Large Precast Concrete Plant for My Home GRAVA Project

Elematic's Large Precast Concrete Plant for My Home GRAVA Project

Hyderabad is witnessing the construction of Asia's tallest towers with a planned built-up area totalling 3.7 million sqm. The two 180-meter towers, each comprising 43 storeys, will be accompanied by six more similar towers. With each tower

Read more ...

Benefits of Shear Keyed Surfaces in Precast Building

Benefits of Shear Keyed Surfaces in Precast Building

Depending on the finish of the concrete surface, different coefficients are assigned by international codes in the calculation of shear resistance. The American Concrete Institute Code ACI318, Nov.19, states the following: Chapter 16.2.1.1 – Transfer of forces by

Read more ...

Revolutionizing Precast Industry with Advanced Tracking of Precast Concrete Elements

Revolutionizing Precast Industry with Advanced Tracking of Precast Concrete Elements

The precast concrete industry is undergoing a transformative change with innovative software solutions that offer enhanced tracking of precast concrete elements. One of these pioneering software solutions is StruSoft’s Impact Precast, which aims

Read more ...

Emerging Trends & Growth of the Prefab Industry

Emerging Trends & Growth of the Prefab Industry

Prefabricated technologies are becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry, particularly for large-scale construction. As prefabricated structures continue to evolve and improve, they are being used to construct warehouses, factories

Read more ...

To get latest updates on whatsapp, Save +91 93545 87773 and send us a 'Saved' message
Click Here to Subscribe to Our eNewsletter.