Analysis and Design of Strengthening for Two Facades of Movie Theaters in Gomez Palacio and Piedras Negras, México

This paper contains the analysis and design of the strengthening structure to preserve two facades of mid-twentieth century movie theaters in two cities located in the north region of México. In the two cases, the new owner recycled the buildings to use them as a home appliance and furniture store, with some adaptations. However, in recent years, it was decided to demolish the existing buildings to build new structures. Municipality regulations required in both cases, to include the preservation of the facades in the new project. The purpose of this paper is, firstly, to present the considerations made for the analysis of the existing structures and the design of the strengthening scheme, and secondly, to document the importance of the preservation of these two facades. Both facades, different in geometry, but similar in the conceptional solution, were strengthened by leaving part of the lateral walls, resembling buttresses at each side of the main plain of the façade, and by incorporating steel trusses that mimic the stiffness provided by the roof of the original structure. Connections were made with steel anchors in concrete members, and steel rods in masonry walls. Wind forces rather than seismic actions controlled the design. Both projects were finished by the second semester of 2022.