Richard Meier and Partners will design two apartment towers in Bogota, Colombia, marking the firm’s first project in the country.

The 13-storey Vitrvm development, which consists of 36 apartments, will be located in the north section of Bogota on a prominent site along Septima Avenue. The building is being developed by Icono Urbano.

The two towers have distinct designs. The first is characterized as a prismatic structure, and the second as a more rectangular shape. Each floor in Tower 1 will bisect through the middle to create two large four-bedroom apartments. In Tower 2, there will be only one apartment per floor, with each unit containing three bedrooms and a studio.

The design for the towers is inspired by the area’s surroundings, which includes a ravine and water gorge, separating it from the neighbouring property to the north. A statement from the firm says the building will have “impressive views towards the city,” and is surrounded by the “greenery of the nearby mountains and the landmarked Chico Park.”

Many units in the complex will overlook one of Colombia’s largest and most important seminaries, Seminario Mayor.

“When we started our Vitrvm project, we were looking for an architect who could embrace and respect the unique characteristics and qualities of our site,” says Jorge Estrada, owner and executive director of Icono Urbano. “It is very gratifying for us at Icono Urbano to develop this important project with the prestigious firm of Richard Meier and Partners Architects. Their expertise, dedication and design quality is reflected in the project.”

The first floor of the buildings will consist of amenities such as an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and children’s playroom. The top of the buildings will have open roof decks, divided into private terraces for the penthouse units and a public terrace. The building lobbies, which open out to a shared porte-cochere, will be located on the second levels.