Locals and visitors to Madrid will be invited to explore a selection of the city’s celebrated buildings over the weekend of 26-27 September, as the Spanish capital launches its first-ever Open House weekend.
Madrid is the latest city to join the Open House project, an international celebration of architecture that opens the doors to buildings not usually accessible to the public. In Madrid, this will include the imposing Bank of Spain building, built in the 19th century. Visitors will be able to tour its vast headquarters and see the lavish art collection.
Other locations open to visitors include the headquarters of the Fundación Francisco Giner de los Ríos (Free Institute of Education), which has a shimmering exterior that blurs the lines between indoors and out, as well as a space-age lecture theatre.
The Gimnasio Maravillas, a notoriously-complicated school gym extension designed by architect Alejandro de la Sota, is also part of the programme, as are the iconic Madrid Tower and the beautiful concrete Hydrographic Studies Center, designed by Miguel Fisac.
Open House was started in London in 1992. A decade later the project launched in New York and is now held in 31 cities. In the past three years particularly, the festival has grown rapidly to cities such as Athens, Oslo, Prague and Adelaide.
Other upcoming Open House events this autumn and winter will take place in Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Perth and New York.
