caixa forum madrid

Caixa Forum Madrid – Herzog & de Meuron
A materially and experientially rich building renovation in Madrid.  The renovation consisted of removing the ground floor of the building and adding two floors above clad in rusted and perforated steel.  The building appears to hover above the ground creating a plaza below with a reflecting pond along the edge.  The ceiling is clad in faceted stainless steel.  The front plaza is lined on one edge with a green wall that hides the blank wall of an adjacent building.
Inside, there are gallery spaces and a restaurant bar on the top floor that peers through the lace-like perforations of the steel skin.  It also serves the strongest gin and tonics known to man.  Beware.