Some architectural magic

There’s a lot of things we have a deep appreciation for, but two of them are:

1. The Caixa Forum in Madrid by Herzog & de Meuron .

2. People who aren’t afraid to geek out on something and forgoe all the normal BS rules of youtube, vetical videos and algorithms to do so.

Some in-studio chit chat on timeless architecture led us back to the Caixa Forum recently. The cultural center, which opened in 2008, is well known for the balance it strikes with respecting a heritage site while adding something new to it, and after re-geeking out ourselves we felt the need to share the video from the Archimarathon team.

High fives for:

// The hosts and their unrestricted passion, enthusiasm, and excitement. Adulting has this lame ability to make people boring and it’s rare to see people driven by wonder and curiosity and willing to share it.

// Their incredible knowledge and insight, a good eye for details, finding the beauty and craft in the tiniest, unexpected places, along with a deep and rich knowledge of the building and its architects.

What do we like about the building?

//     Its approach to heritage and conservation
Rather than being limited by the existing floor plan and structure, the architects designed in a way to hollow out the building while leaving the protected heritage industrial façade intact. Hence, honoring the historic elements while taking a more complex and resourceful approach to the adaptive reuse.

//     The urban integration.
The project sits in a busy neighborhood, bordered by those classic narrow European streets and surrounded with a good amount of other cultural program (eg. Prado, Renia Sofia). To solve these conditions and respond to the surroundings, H&M removed the original building base, ‘floated’ the building and created a shaded plaza within that void, allowing for an open public space and the bonus continuation and connection to the urban fabric.  

//     The triangles (Which we’re not actually sure if this is true, but it would be cool if it is)
With the buildings original facade, made freestanding with the renovations is held in place by a complex web of beams that brace the walls and prep for the interior. We’re pretty sure that this creation of intricate triangular infrastructure dictated the interior design of the building from lighting, to staircases, floor patterns, the ceiling, etc- all following this new triangular grid.
If we’re right it’s a really cool design detail that shows the structure and grid of the building leading the design of its experience. Very cool.