OTAY Cross Border Xpress in San Diego, California by LEGORRETA

Article source: LEGORRETA

The US – Mexico Border is the busiest in the world and one of the most fortified ones. The facility is built on a plot located in Otay, San Diego, to expedite the crosswalk at the US-Mexico border. Its aim is to connect San Diego with the Tijuana International Airport.

The design concept of the 72,617sq. ft. building which houses all the necessary filters for the entrance and exit of border users, security and shopping areas and connects the Tijuana International Airport by a nearly and the 14,788 sq. ft. bridge.

Access, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

• Architects: LEGORRETA
• Project: OTAY Cross Border Xpress
• Location: Otay, San Diego, California, USA and Tijuana, Mexico
• Photography: David Harrison
• Client: OTAY-TJ-VENTURE LLC
• LEGORRETA® Team: Ricardo Legorreta, Víctor Legorreta, Miguel Almaraz, Adriana Ciklik, Carlos Vargas, Miguel Alatriste, Emmanuel Pérez Eguiarte, Andrés Martínez-Lanz, Roberto López, Lourdes del Val, Lucía Cervantes, and Arturo Violante.
• Associate and Executive Architect: STANTEC Architecture
• Stantec LTD Team: Stanis Smith, Christopher Wilson, Arun Kaiwar, Mike Canevari, Steve Cook, Dave Knoll, and Michael Tatoyan

Access, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

• Landscape Architecture: Stantec Consulting, Inc.
• Structural Design: Hope Amundson Structural Engineers – Building
• MEP Design: Stantec Consulting
• Acoustical Design: Stantec Architecture
• Lighting Consultant: Visual Concepts Inc
• Security Consultant: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Cost Consultant: Turner Construction Company
• Area: 72,617 sq. ft. Building / 14,788 sq. ft. Bridge
• Year: 2015

Access, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Access From the USA, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

A purple open central courtyard with an ash tree and a reflecting pool is the heart of the project as it acts as an articulator node dividing flows and functions. Passengers enter to this courtyard to an airy building with ticket counters and touches are onyx, including high-hanging black slabs near ticket counters and white spheres atop the escalators.

Taking advantage of the mild climate of the area and choosing vernacular materials such as stone exterior mixed with purple stucco and red limestone; whereas the stone gardens have agave and other desert plants. One of its aims was to create a space in which this stop becomes a more rewarding experience for those traveling from one country to another.

Bridge, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Access Details, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

The great horizontal cantilevers with a bold and simple geometry make the CBX facility a threshold that marks the crossing point between the two Californias that are linked by their history, biculturalism and geography.

The cross border needed to have a direct connection between the migration departments of both countries to mitigate traffic in the current checkpoint, this way OTAY CROSS BORDER XPRESS becomes an unprecedented contribution to the region.

A very much needed bridge in this new era of coexistence between the two nations.

Courtyard, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Access, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Aerial View From USA, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Check – In Area, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Bridge, Image Courtesy © David Harrison

Flow Diagram, Image Courtesy © STANTEC

Plan, Image Courtesy © LEGORRETA

Tags: California, USA

Categories: Bridge, Building, Terminal

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