Serrería Belga is an excellent example of a restored industrial building in the centre of Madrid. It has been converted into the central office of Medialab-Prado, and it is located in one of our favourite places, Barrio de las Letras. Serrería Belga shows us that by restoring you enrich and add value to the city. In this blog we have already talked about Sala Canal de Isabel II and Matadero de Legazpi. They both serve as examples regarding the importance of restoring large spaces in great cities. Today, in the blog of Estate One, we continue to prove that TO RESTORE IS TO MAKE A BUILDING HABITABLE.

FROM AN OLD SAWMILL TO A CULTURAL PLACE

Serrería Belga was built in the 20´s and it is an outstanding example of industrial architecture. There are not many buildings like this one in Madrid, therefore it is important to restore them in order to see what Madrid was like decades ago.

In 2007, the city council of Madrid restored it in order to create a place in which to carry out research related to culture. As it is very close to the Prado Museum, the building was named Medialab-Prado.

It is open to the public and it is free of charge, being defined as a laboratory which produces cultural projects.

A DIFFERENT RESTORATION

The space has 4.000 m2 and it is devoted to artistic and cultural productions. It has workshops, discussion groups, conferences and lectures as well as seminars and debates.

The old sawmill has been joined to LA COSA which consists of platforms with fluorescent stairs that connect both floors.

You can see this from the outside of the building making it an awesome sight.

In the northern façade, facing the Plaza de las Letras, a bright mosaic full of light shows exhibits of many artists. This is known as Fachada Digital.

You can visit this building with a tour guide and it is free of charge. The video on the restoration of Serrería Belga can be viewed in:

ACKNOWLEGMENTS

The architect´s office Langarita-Navarro, which restored this building, received the XII Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo prize, as well as the Coam 2013 and Sacyr a la Innovación 2014 prizes.