Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - ChairCultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Windows, BeamCultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Facade, WindowsCultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Facade, WindowsCultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - More Images+ 14

  • Architect In Charge: Jorge Romera Herrero
  • Architect: José Fidel Luquero González
  • Architecture Student: Claudia Conde Orozco
  • Technical Architect: Oscar González García
  • City: Móstoles
  • Country: Spain
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Text description provided by the architects. In "El Soto" we had to reinvent the commission.

Initially, the task was to develop a basic project, already approved by the City to renew an existing Cultural Centre, which was a focus of activity and tradition in the neighborhood. The challenge was to get as much as possible, with a very limited budget in times of austerity, and with the premise of preserving the existing building.

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Facade, Windows
© Miguel de Guzmán

Constant dialogue with the various representatives of the City Council has helped achieve exemplary acceptance and involvement of each of them with the operation from the very beginning.

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Image 9 of 19
Ground Floor Plan
Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Image 18 of 19
Croquis 1

Covering the existing building, and using the preexisting foundation and structure, the transformation begins there:

The old white brick facade is dressed up with an industrial metal, disappearing into the grey sky and also camouflaged with the existing painted cover.

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Glass
© Miguel de Guzmán

A skylight of polycarbonate in the heart of the building bringing light on the hall disappears and appears as a surprising northern light entrance when entering the exhibition.

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Chair
© Miguel de Guzmán

The existing theater (an Italian-type room with fixed seats, as other dozen standing in Mostoles) becomes a multi-scenic avant-garde room that allows for the assembly of an experimental space where the stage can be placed anywhere in the room, and where retractable bleacher-seats are collected and disappear if requested, leaving an open room.

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Image 19 of 19
Croquis 2
Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Image 11 of 19
Upper Floor Plan

Finally, three new pieces of black brick (with a lock that makes it appear as another material) holds the extension of the library, cafeteria and theater storage. These pieces face the street creating a new public space.

Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation  / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo - Windows, Handrail
© Miguel de Guzmán

In addition to a brand new building, Mostoles has this new small yellow paved square, which connects the multi-scene theater to the external events and leads the way from the street to the building entrance, flanked by a light plane and the velvet of the cafeteria.

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Project location

Address:Av. de Iker Casillas, 28935 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Cultural Center 'El Soto' Renovation / José María de Lapuerta + Paloma Campo" 10 Feb 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/781540/reform-and-cultural-center-extending-the-soto-jose-maria-de-lapuerta-plus-paloma-campo> ISSN 0719-8884

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