Client: The British Council
Title: British Council
Location: Madrid, Spain
Description: Winner - City Award for Best Restoration 1993
Listed as a historic monument by Madrid City Council, the palacete had over the years been unhappily altered with enlarged window openings, ‘lean-to’ structures and metal escape stairs. The floors were in danger of collapse.
The building has been meticulously restored by Jestico + Whiles using materials to match the original, to provide an information and arts centre, teaching facilities and offices.
In a single contemporary intervention, the building adapts to its new programme. A new internal stair, topped by an oval rooflight, forms the focus of the building, resolving daylighting and circulation problems and reducing energy costs in use. In Madrid’s bright winter mornings, solar gain is used to heat the building and sunlight is filtered by a yellow revolving blind.
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