Museum of the Americas in Madrid

The Museum of The Americas, which houses pre-Columbian archeological collections, has been moved to a new premises. Designed as a hypogeum urban development, the project which covers an area in front of the National Archaeological Museum has a unique setting right in the heart of Madrid’s “Culture Kilometer”.

The location of this urban project was a difficult one, because of the pre-existing buildings in the area. In front there is the the National Archaeological Museum, next to that the underground Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural De La Villa, and also the Monument to the Discovery of America by Joaquín Vaquero Turcios. To make the most out of the space available, the new museum has been designed as a completely underground structure, so that the square above and its urban activity will not be impacted. Viewed from the Paseo de la Recoletos, visitors are presented with the feeling of an urban space paved with grey granite which leads to a glass viewing area from which can be viewed a glimpse of the hidden greenery below. Access is made available via an underground park and a series of stairs and ramps which lead to several entrances: the museum, the library/archive (dedicated to the history of the Americas), and conference rooms. The materials used in the construction of the building were mainly béton brut for cladding, granite for paving, stairs and green areas. Stone, nature and indirect light were utilized to remember the ancient ruins of the lost civilizations of the Americas. The museum takes light from an opening on ground level and also from skylights that rise up, contributing to the embellishment of the square. This also gives the impression of a garden of stone contrasting with the green areas in the center of the square. Green spaces are separated from the exhibition halls, so they can be accessed directly from the street above. The museum is designed over two levels which open up towards the green areas, giving visitors the illusion of being immersed in nature, rather than an urban setting.