Refurbishment and adaptation of museum space for the Pérez Simon Art Collection. Conde Duque Cultural Center, Madrid. Preliminary study

Built at the beginning of the 18th century, the architectural complex of the Conde Duque military barracks is one of the most outstanding historical monuments in the capital.
The spaces proposed to house the Pérez Simon permanent art collection are located in the northern half of the building, on floors 0-2, on the east façade (Conde Duque Street) and add up to a useful area of approximately 3,800sqm, according to the Master Plan.
The design criteria are: light, reversible construction proposals with a strong unitary image in terms of formal and material proposal, trying not to alter the general typological perception.
The preliminary study had the mission of identifying the elements of value, to preserve and the possibilities of adapting each space to the new museum project. For this reason, we built a 3D model of the building, as a basis for studying the implementation of the new art collection.
The original construction elements, which must be restored, are: the lower part of the walls up to the first floor and the system of granite pillars that runs through the ground floor, as well as the arches who connect them.