2012
Nave 16 Matadero - Madrid - Spain

In 1911, the first slaughterhouse of Madrid needed to be moved to Arganzuela, close to the Manzanares river, due to the city growth and to hygiene standards, on a project of architect Luis Bellido.
After changing various functions, the site was definitely close in 1996.
In 2007, Madrid municipality promoted a competition in order to reuse the ancient abandoned complex and to offer the city a space for artistic and creative events and meetings.
With its 5.913sqm, the Nave 16 is supposed to be the biggest exhibition hall and multifunctional center in Madrid. It can be staged as an only big room as well as three different independent smaller spaces.
The architectonic operation does not involve the old Matadero in itself, it actually consists in the filling of the pace with flexible steel elements. Steel doors define the disposition of internal space: their rotation and continuous movement creates a contrast with the eternal brick architecture of the remaining parts of the building.
One of the main aims of the architects was to preserve the original aspect of the Matadero for the historical value it has been having for the city and its citizens from the beginning of the XX century.

[project selected by Chiara Bini]

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Architecture as Resource / Imprint