Norman Foster's firm Foster+Partners has unveiled design to renovate Madrid's former Plaza Colón building with boxy and diagram façade that makes the building a new iconic landmark to reflect the prestige and importance of the site.

Located at the heart of the city, the former building is taking place at one of the most major intersections in Madrid, the project will completely transform and revitalise the existing structure to emphasise the historical significance of the site. The building is developed  as a key part of the long-term vision for the development of Madrid.

The building is situated on the junction of Madrid´s main north-south artery, Paseo de la Castellana, with Génova Street, the primary east-west axis of the city, the building faces the bustling Plaza de Colón, one of the largest public spaces in the city that is flanked by Spain’s National Library. 

"Axis also marks the confluence of three different districts of the city: Barrio de Salamanca, with its luxury shopping and residences, Chamberí, the global financial hub combined with lively art galleries, and Centro the oldest quarter of the city, full of tradition," said Foster+Partners in a press release.

The four-storey building will be built from a distinctive stainless-steel diagrid façade that gives it a strong visual identity. The studio will use an optimised geometry, responding to structural efficiency and minimising energy and material consumption. 

Retail shops will be designed on the ground floor to draw pedestrians into the building, with the permeable building envelope ensuring maximum visibility, allowing daylight to flood in and creating a friendly and inviting experience.

"Situated at one of the most important intersections in Madrid, Axis is a new landmark for the city. It establishes a new vision for the existing 1970s structure, stripping it back to its essence and creating a flexible, future-proof building that will endure," said Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners.

"Its striking façade will also nurture a new identity and sense of place for the city of Madrid," he added.

The building is designed according to Madrid’s Mediterranean climate, the building will consist of a soaring atrium that connects the retail at the base with the offices above, pulling the natural greenery deep into the building. 

"The building is crowned by a sky terrace – full of greenery, light and life – for informal meetings and gatherings against the backdrop of the Plaza de Colón," added the studio. "An innovative screen made from catenary structures, planted with natural vegetation creates distinctive open-air rooftop experience – a rarity in Madrid."

Following a flexible floor plan throughout the building, the core with lifts, stairs and services are situated along the south façade. "This affords a clear span throughout the rest of the floorplate, capable of accommodating multiple uses, from a single tenant to a multi-let floor," added the firm.

The building will naturally be lit and ventilated with maximised floor-to-ceiling heights, and the design will keep the existing structure of the building erected in the 1970’s, reinforcing the project’s innovative sustainable approach.

All images courtesy of Foster+Partners

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