CaixaForum Madrid
Herzog & de Meuron · Madrid, Spain · 2008
Herzog & de Meuron transformed the former Mediodía power station into CaixaForum Madrid by lifting its retained brick body above a new public forecourt. A dark, faceted upper extension expands the old industrial volume, while Patrick Blanc's vertical garden gives the adjoining wall a contrasting living surface. Opened in 2008, the cultural centre creates an unusually dramatic threshold between the Prado boulevard and its interior galleries. Look closely at the transition between old masonry, new metalwork and the shaded underside of the building. The project is as much about making urban space as providing exhibition rooms. Visiting: Exhibition admission is normally ticketed. The sheltered forecourt is public space.