Can a retrofit be carried out in an occupied building?

Yes, and it is one of the most common scenarios for established corporate assets. A building with offices in operation cannot shut down to be modernized. The retrofit has to happen while the building keeps running, which changes how the construction is planned and carried out.

The CENU Torre Norte case

The retrofit of the common areas at CENU Torre Norte is the example cited in the case study. The project shows that large corporate developments can be transformed with less impact on the operations of the offices that occupy them. Areas such as the lobby, reception, elevators and social areas are precisely the most visible and the most used day to day, which makes coordination even more delicate.

What the construction requires

Carrying out complex work in buildings that remain in use is presented as one of the great challenges of engineering today. Several conditions have to be ensured at the same time:

• Safety for everyone moving through the building during construction.
• Rigorous planning of each stage of the work.
• Minimal disruption to the routines of the people using the offices.

In practice, this means deciding in advance which trades can move forward at each point and how occupants keep using the building while construction is under way.

How CH3 approaches this kind of project

CH3 combines technical management, detailed construction planning and experience in high-end corporate projects to carry out work on existing assets. The goal is to deliver a building that is ready for the future without the companies based there having to interrupt their activities.

Repositioning an occupied building means restoring its relevance and strengthening its market value while it keeps operating. For the owner, the construction does not require emptying the property; for the occupants, the modernization arrives without harming their operations.