The reconstruction of the 18th century hospital building by architect Francisco Sabatini was carried out by Jean Nouvel. According to him, he treated the old building with respect, complementing it with a new wing with bright red walls, original ceiling structures and extensive glazing - opposing it to the austere facades of the former hospital. A single triangular roof, continuing the lines of the upper cornice of the 18th century part, unites several separate volumes of the new building of the museum underneath. Before the reconstruction, there were three buildings on this site and several trees grew. The buildings were moved to another location, and the trees were preserved. Three new buildings were erected there, united by a triangular courtyard; they perform various functions: they are a library, an auditorium, a cafe and a restaurant, as well as galleries. The latter are directly connected with the halls in the hospital building. In contrast to the discreet 18th century façade, the new building is open to the outside world, inviting passers-by to come inside. Large windows and staircases leading out onto the façade connect the museum with the city space. The cost of construction is 30 million euros, the new exhibition area is 26,000 sq. M. m. Project Nouvel - part of the large-scale program "Boulevard of Arts", the goal of which is to create a single ensemble of all the main museums of the Spanish capital.
2024 Author: David Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 00:52
