| The most impressive project I’ve seen this year is the Caixa Forum in Madrid Spain by Herzog & de Meuron. As the new headquarters of the cultural centre of the “la Caixa” Foundation in Madrid, the complex includes educational programs, music, literature, film. It is connected by a plaza with the Paseo del Prado, near the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums. The building retains the brick walls from a power station built in 1899, reminding the viewer of Madrid’s industrial past. Patrick Blanc contributed a large vertical garden to establish a connection between the plaza and nearby botanical gardens. This also provides a startling contrast with the rustic textures of the buildings. The composition of the exterior materials is excellent, along with a skyline that compliments the buildings nearby. The structure separates from the ground level to establish two types of spaces. The auditorium space for 400 persons runs beneath the topographically landscaped plaza. The entrance lobby with 4,000m of gallery space seperates this from the restaurant and administrative offices above. Taking a cue from the contrasting materials outside, these two spaces are startlingly different in material and composition. |
(montuno– flickr/creative commons license)
(albertopveiga– flickr/creative commons license
(Jules Antonio– flickr/creative commons license)
(felipe_gabaldon– flickr/creative commons license
(Javi sas– flickr/creative commons license)
(shiver_shi– flickr/creative commons license)
(rjhuttondfw– flickr/creative commons license)
