Goya Uno

In the beginning of 2022 we were invited to a closed competition to propose a vision for a disused structure in the centre of Madrid. The main challenge was the requirement to keep the interventions within the existing volume: a three storey-building among 10 storey giants. The building in question was a small disused bank building that was left in in a ruinous state by squatters. Nevertheless, its structure and stone cladding could be reused. Since the program was not yet set, maximum flexibility was asked - the zoning plan allowed both commercial and office uses, but the client was in the process of setting up the business case.

On an urban level, we moved the entrance to the main shopping street to improve pedestrian interaction. The proximity of the roof to the ground level allowed to activate the roof as extension of public space, creating an attractive urban device that would allow the building to play a greater role in the urban ecology.

On a building scale, the plan is kept simple and generous, allowing for a multitude of possible uses, but without applying flexibility as an excuse to be undefined: The new position of the core was optimised for day-lighting and potential floor plan zoning.

Passive design principles are integrated in the building envelope to combine architectural expression with low-tech intelligent climate strategies that reduce energy usage and improve indoor comfort. The result manages to adequately react to its urban setting while maintaining the autonomy of the object.