How Do 13th Floors Perform in Mexico? Despite Their Bad Reputation, 19% of Buildings Include Them and Exceed Expectations

Just like in Mexico, many parts of Latin America are influenced by superstitions that affect the architecture and design of buildings. In cities like São Paulo, Brazil, many high-profile properties, such as the Torre Norte at Pátio Victor Malzoni and the São Paulo Corporate Towers and Rochaverá Corporate Towers, omit the 13th floor. However, in Brazil, this superstition is not as pronounced as in other countries in the region.

However, the situation is quite different in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia. According to SiiLA, nearly 27% of class A+, A, and B buildings have a 13th floor. Surprisingly, the vacancy rate on these floors is 33% lower than the national average of approximately 8%, and asking prices on the 13th floors are 19% higher than the country’s average. This suggests that while superstition persists, demand for these spaces is high, and tenants are willing to pay a premium, a stark contrast to the situation in Mexico.

Globally, the Woolworth Building in New York, completed in 1913, was one of the first skyscrapers to omit the 13th floor, becoming an icon of this practice. In Mexico, while there is no exact record of the first building to do so, omitting the 13th floor became popular in the second half of the 20th century, especially with the rise of modern skyscrapers.

The fear of the number 13, known as triskaidekaphobia, has its roots in ancient religious beliefs and superstitions that have persisted over time. One of the most influential stories comes from Christian tradition, where it is said that at Jesus’ Last Supper, there were 13 diners, with Judas Iscariot, the thirteenth guest, betraying him. This led to associating the number 13 with betrayal and bad luck, a notion that spread and was reinforced in different cultures, even affecting building numbering.

However, there are other factors besides this. In many cultures, the number 13 is considered unlucky for various reasons. In numerology, the number 12 is considered “complete” or “perfect,” associated with fullness and order, like the 12 months of the year or the 12 signs of the zodiac. The number 13, being one more than 12, is seen as a number that disrupts that order, leading it to be considered “destabilizing” or “incomplete.”

Numerical superstition is not limited to the number 13. In some Asian countries, for example, the number four is avoided because its pronunciation is similar to the word “death,” making it an unlucky number; in some parts of Europe, the number 17 is considered unfortunate.

Likewise, pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas had their own numerical superstitions; for example, in Aztec cosmology, the number four represented the cardinal directions and stability, while the number five, which introduced a central direction, could be perceived both positively and negatively depending on the context, as it was associated with both balance and instability.

Beyond superstitions, in cities like New York, omitting the 13th floor also occurred for urban planning reasons. In the early 20th century, some critics of the time believed that constructing buildings with more than 12 floors broke the urban aesthetic and could create logistical and structural problems.

The balance between tradition and functionality remains challenging in modern architecture, where cultural beliefs and urban needs intertwine unexpectedly.

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