Conde Duque

Conde Duque is the name given to a building located in the center of Madrid that was created in 1717 at the request of Prince Philip V. The building’s historical value and architectural importance, houses a cultural center responsible for organizing events, workshops and festivals in the city.

Goals: to create a solid program and network of activities at the social, economical, institutional and cultural level between Conde Duque’s cultural center and its surroundings. The second objective is to redesign the Plaza Santa Cruz, a public square near Conde Duque by creating a spatial, visual and social connection. The main concepts and objectives behind this intervention design are associated key principles, such as: creativity, competition, sustainability, economic solutions, activation.

Redesign of a Public Space and Social Programming

Identity: Implementing elements that emphasize the uniqueness of the area. By creating physical and visual elements, we reinforce the distinct character of an area.
Connection: Building a strong connectivity to the urban fabric of the city should take into consideration three main aspects: the inside, the near and the far.
Activation: Bringing vibrancy to the area, often encourages the use of its surrounding buildings, squares and parks. There is a need to optimize the usage of public space in the area of study. This can be achieved through the redevelopment of the program of activities at Conde Duque, the Market as a sub-centre and exploiting potential open spaces. However, in order to achieve this goal, certain measures must be incorporated in the design and planning criteria.
Participation: The involvement of the users (internal and external stakeholders) is 'crucial' to the planning and design intervention. Designers don't produce a finished product until it is transformed by its users over time.