Overview
With the ubiquitous applications, stainless steel grows to be the toast of the designers from varied backgrounds. Whether in terms of longevity, atheistic appeal, formability or maintenance, stainless steel stands out from other materials. This week, we will explore the world of stainless steel through the case of Haceros Inolvidables in Cuautitlán, Mexico.
Haceros Inolvidables
Haceros Inolvidables is a 11-meter-high stainless steel sculpture created to commemorate the first 100 years of stainless steel 1913-2013. It was developed by the Mexican non-profit civil association, IMINOX (short for El Instituto Mexicano del Inoxidable).
Also known as "MAKE YOU UNFORGETTABLE" sculpture, Haceros Inolvidables is located in Plaza Estado de México, a park in Cuaititlán Izcalli, Mexico. The park sits right on the Mexico-Querétaro highway, the route of the largest vehicular flow of entry and exit to Mexico City.
The Story Behind "MAKE YOU UNFORGETTABLE"
Haceros Inolvidables was completed in December 2012. It went through roughly four phases from concept, design competition, manufacturing to assembling at site.
The public space where the sculpture would be assembled remained unknown until the manufacturing phase. The team managed a meeting with the Government of the State of Mexico for the site selection. They made an agreement that it would be placed in a park where was then projected in honor of the first 100 years of the Mexican Army.
What a coincidence! The commemoration of Stainless Steel Centenary came coincidental with the celebration of 100 years of the Mexican Army, hence, the proposal name "MAKE YOU UNFORGETTABLE" was given purposely to metaphorize the integrity, strength, security and loyalty of the Mexican Army.
The Design of Haceros Inolvidables
In honor of the first 100 years of stainless steel, IMINOX launched a monument design competition, in which they invited three important sculptors and an architect, all from Mexica, to present their design works (IMINOX 2018). On July 25, 2012, all delivered their designs. Enrique Espinosa Fernández (as below photo), the Mexican architect known for his extensive experience in stainless steel, won the competition with his proposal "Haceros Inolvidables ".
The name "Haceros Inolvidables (Make you unforgettable)" sounds like "aceros inoxydables" ("stainless steel"). It links a long-lasting material with an ever-lasting memory. According to the architect, the designed sculpture is an "impossible" geometry of multifaceted perspective which tends to evoke a surprising figure full of facets whose reflections make it ethereal.
Enrique has worked with stainless steel since 1990 and developed a preference for this material. He is quite versatile in the applications of stainless steel, which can be seen in his multiple projects ranging from façade, stairs, sculpture, furniture to structural use. His previous representative work involves making 75,000 TELMEX telephone booths from stainless steel.
Stainless Steel Applied to Haceros Inolvidables
Haceros Inolvidables is wholly made of stainless steel, including the accessories such as bolts and nuts. All the pieces were prefabricated in factory with high precision, then transported to the site for assembling. According to ISSF (2025) and also the interview with Arch. Enrique Espinosa Fernández (2013), 7 tons of 304 stainless steel of varied finishes such as No.1, mirror and BA were applied to Haceros Inolvidables.
According to the Architect, stainless steel was chosen firstly for aesthetical appeal of the bright and shiny finish. Different finishes were used in different segments of the sculpture. Secondly, it exhibited good corrosion resistance under coastal atmosphere, which he illustrated with the case of Progreso Pier (introduced in our previous article as well). Lastly, it generated good economic results.
Stainless Steel from CIVMATS China
In the case of Haceros Inolvidables, not only varied finishes are involved, but also more than one shapes of stainless steel are applied. There are stainless steel sheets, stainless steel pipes, stainless steel bolts and nuts.
In CIVMATS, stainless steel shapes, grades, finishes and sizes are all customizable. Should you have any demand for stainless steel materials from China, CIVMATS remains your most reliable choice, as always. Choose CIVMATS, choose reliability.
