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textile manufacturers and factories that produced the small three-wheeler (or
isocarro) that was made by ISO all coexisted here
Fast-forward a few years and Carabanchel is now a bona fide artistic melting pot of young creators in search of an area on the outskirts of the city where they can develop their art
You'll find up-and-coming artists that work with illustration, crafts, sculpture, photography, music, video-art or graphic art, as well as well-known creators such as Miki Leal, Patricia Mateo and Laura Lío—some of whom have exhibited at the ARCOmadrid art fair—who only add to the artistic boom that this area is experiencing
Look out for them in the San Isidro neighbourhood
where parts of the legendary isocarro used to be made
Art certainly abounds in this old property located in the most populated district in Madrid (with a census of 270,000 residents)
Some of these call their home Carabanchel 17: a building that resembles shipping containers stacked together at a port
This iconic colourful structure was designed by the studio ACM arquitectos after they won an architectural competition launched by Madrid City Council in 2009
The southern Madrid district oozes vitality and innovation. In recent years, Manolito Four-Eyes—the famous literary character created by Elvira Lindo which was brought from print to film—has helped to put Carabanchel on the map.
The area has been earning points on Madrid’s cultural ranking thanks to the initiative of its artists who constantly push their creative capacity to the limits
producing a knock-on effect among their peers
At Nave Oporto, located in the San Isidro neighbourhood, we can find artists such as Irma Álvarez-Laviada, Belén, FOD, Santiago Giralda, Miki Leal, Sonia Navarro, Manuel Saro and Miguel Ángel Tornero all working on site since 2013. The first floor of the building is home to Mala Fama Estudios and another group of artists
Arte&Desmayo is a multidisciplinary hub where artists can rent the rehearsal space
small concert hall and can even or host attend courses
in addition to galleries and painting academies
have set up businesses nearby with more than 20 studios scattered around the neighbourhood. They can all be found close to the metro station Oporto
on streets such as Calle de Nicolás Morales (No
36) and Avenida de Pedro Diez (No
The clout of these young artists is such that small restaurants
Their influence has also spread to Urgel metro station
close to Calle de Eugenia de Montijo and Avenida de Nuestra Señora de Fátima
91 Avenida de Nuestra Señora de Fátima
Carabanchel is also home to many rehearsal rooms for pop-rock groups, some well-known late-night entertainment establishments, as well as cafés and restaurants that cater for this community of musicians. La Fábrica de Patanel beer garden and Matilda Bar Butacada are just some of the spots that they frequent
One of the latest places to open its doors is Hyper House
a new creative space on Madrid's emerging digital art scene
It serves as a meeting point and a place for debate that's open to collaboration on expanded and experimental artistic practices
With so many artists concentrated in the district, the annual “Art/Banchel” initiative (a nod to the prestigious Art Basel fair in Switzerland) was introduced in 2017
it features open doors activities so that local residents can see the artists' work. Visitors can enjoy exhibitions
La Chulapa de Carabanchel
7 Calle de Amalrico, there's a mural honouring the figure of a chulapa (a native Madrid woman in traditional dress) painted onto the Tercio and Terol community's former water tower. This impressive
large-scale artwork by Cuban artist resident in New York Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada depicts the face of a chulapa with a red carnation and a white scarf around her head. It was painted during the San Isidro festivities and has become a symbol of the neighbourhood that defends tradition
1962) is responsible for the mural that adorns one of the façades of the IES Emperatriz María de Austria secondary school
This work depicts a forest full of vibrant and unusual colours
reminiscent of the canvases that the artist has exhibited in collaboration with Galería VETA by Fer Francés
Abraham Lacalle has displayed his work in numerous galleries
He is a regular at ARCO and created an ephemeral installation at the Reina Sofía Museum.
Mural devoted to Ibáñez that immortalises ‘13
The intervention will form part of the next “Carabanchel Art Route
which will create a route past some of the district’s major sculptures and murals
The mural represents the iconic building from the ‘13
Rue del Percebe’ comic strip and it has been backed by Penguin Random House Publishing Group’s Bruguera seal
where the author of characters like Mort & Phil
Saccharino the Bellhop or Pepe Gotera and Otilio published his work
See some of the area’s workshops and artist groups listed below:
A surprising art-deco neighbourhood not so hidden away in the south of the city
The Palacio Vistalegre Arena is a large multi-use building that regularly holds musical and sporting events
this gig venue offers unadulterated rock&rock music
Sports complex located in the district of La Latina with multiple facilities such as a pool
If you want to move away from the centre and discover an area of Madrid that is not so well known
don't miss out on what one of its most populated districts has to offer
Discover the wonderful food on offer in this district
which has become the focal point of a creative and bohemian movement
fairs… Madrid signs up for street art and we will show you how to enjoy it
Museums are always a great place to seek refuge
and even more so when temperatures rise above thirty degrees
Join us on our search for wonderful beaches in Madrid’s museums
Different experiences and places for people looking for new trends and original offers
These are some of the most outstanding art galleries in the city
Madrid is like a huge jigsaw puzzle: fit in the neighbourhoods to create the whole picture
Discover 10 places off the beaten track that your trip to Madrid wouldn't be complete with visiting.
The city’s new official sightseeing and tourist travel pass
Our online store (in Spanish) sells artisan souvenirs
If you have planned a cultural visit around Carabanchel
an area that has become the focal point of a creative and bohemian movement
here are our top restaurant recommendations
Once you have explored its magnificent architecture
along with its arts and crafts studios and workshops
it’s time to hit the bars and restaurants to sample some traditional local tapas that retain the area’s strong culinary traditions
Casa de los Minutejos (Calle de Antonio de Leyva
this restaurant serves one of Madrid’s most authentic tapas
a kind of sandwich filled with sliced pig’s ear and seasoned with a spicy sauce
This small place in Carabanchel located very close to the Marqués de Vadillo metro has become an essential stop for lovers of roast pig's ears
which is also served seasoned with garlic and parsley
A place that is packed with tradition and decorated with posters on the walls and ceiling
with phrases that motivate you to try their famous minutejos
Casa Enriqueta (Calle del General Ricardos
This informal restaurant serves traditional Spanish food and wines
maintaining Madrid’s traditional cuisine for more than 60 years
Its history goes back to the great-great-grandmother of Berta Gutiérrez
who had a stall on the Puente de Toledo bridge in 1909
In 1958 they opened a taberna in Carabanchel
which is now run by the third generation of this family
Their star dishes are gallinejas and entresijos
Cervecería Gonmar (Paseo de Marcelino Camacho
Located in the traditional neighbourhood of Vistalegre
this brewery has been around for more than 60 years and enjoys a good reputation that extends beyond the neighbourhood
but let’s not forget their patatas bravas fried potatoes with a spicy homemade sauce
They also have other classic dishes such as pork snout
Restaurante La Prensa (Calle de Federico Grases
After visiting one of Carabanchel’s emblematic sights, such as La Colonia de la Prensa
a restaurant that first opened in 1962 and which specialises in home cooking
They serve a daily set menu and a more elaborate one for the weekends with homemade dishes such as butter bean stew
Asador Avelino (Calle de Joaquín Turina
This unique space in Carabanchel offers grilled meats
The terrace is a cosy space where you can enjoy a meal or a drink with friends and family
Astral Café (Camino Viejo de Leganés
this café-restaurant has been serving quality cuisine to diners
including its famous pre-roasted suckling pig with the Cochinillo de Segovia quality guarantee
which also includes huevos rotos (fried eggs with fried potatoes and ham) with truffle and homemade croquettes
They combine a casual dining experience with the authenticity of good homemade food
they also offer a different dish of the day
Devinums (Avda
Opposite the Polideportivo La Mina sports centre is this prestigious wine bar and restaurant in the south of Madrid
It has a comfortable and spacious dining area that can accommodate up to 60 people
with a bar where you can savour fine wines
The star dishes on the menu include rice with lobster
and tostas (slices of toasted bread with different toppings)
They also offer a full set menu from Monday to Friday
you can allow yourself to be guided by their expert sommelier Lupe
who will help to find the perfect wine to pair with your meal
Come Bebe Ama Gastrohome (Calle Gesaleico
This restaurant brings a piece of Extremadura to Madrid. This surprising gastronomic proposal presents products from Extremadura in the form of a travelling kitchen that combines tradition with the avant-garde
Its amusing version of classic pork crackling is prepared at a low temperature and accompanied by a touch of wakame seaweed and mint; fideuá with red prawn tartar and black garlic mayonnaise; Iberian acorn-fed pork; or torrija with bitter orange marmalade stand out among its creations
La Capa (Calle Condes de Barcelona
close to Marqués de Vadillo and the Toledo Bridge
has been given a new lease of life since October 2024 thanks to Arturo Romera
three friends who decided to reopen it to offer quality service
simple food and drink at an affordable price. It maintains the spirit of the typical eateries
offering good service and quality products
where the after-dinner conversation is essential
Vegania Veggie Bar (Calle de Ntra
you’ll find the perfect restaurant with dishes created using plenty of imagination and all natural ingredients
It was launched in 2018 by chefs Nico and Daniel
with extensive experience in and love for vegan food
‘squid’ sandwich and homemade seitan kebab
They have received the Solete Award from the Repsol Guide
as the best vegan restaurant in the neighbourhood of Carabanchel; and in 2022 they were named the best vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Spain by Just Eat
Burger D'Neto (Calle de Valle de Oro
you can visit this burger restaurant with a hint of Brazil
considered by many to make the “best burger” in the neighbourhood
delicious artisan brioche buns made fresh every day
Original recipes such as the D´Neto Hamburger made with 100% beef
frankfurter sausages and Philadelphia cheese; or the Hawaiian option with 100% beef
You will also find plenty of typical Brazilian sauces such as catupiry (cheese sauce made using Parmesan) as well as calabresa
a typical Brazilian chorizo with a smoky flavour
dishes from Rio de Janeiro such as coxinhas (similar to croquettes) or fried yucca
and delicious desserts and smoothies for the perfect finish to your meal
Los Mandilones (Lonja de la Seda
An authentic Mexican restaurant with cocktails and live music
original dishes that focus on traditional flavours
Try their guacamole with torreznos (crispy fried bacon)
red pozole (a consommé made from cacahuazintle corn)
green tamales or patacones (fried green plantains) with suckling pork or beef
Restaurante Oportuno (Avenida
This bar/restaurant offers diners authentic Spanish food and specialises in the preparation of premium quality grilled meats
you can enjoy a variety of authentic tapas
perfect to whet your appetite before your main meal
La Grifería (Antonio de Leyva
Where Carabanchel meets Madrid Río
you will find this groundbreaking Neotaberna
serving six different craft beers on tap and a selection of authentic wines
as well as artisan cheese boards and an array of snacks and light bites designed to share and pair. Try their pickled aubergine salad
smoked sardine loin on focaccia or their rillette made according to the recipe of chef Carlos Campillo
El Secreto de Dora (Avenida de la Plaza de Toros
Next to the Palacio Vistalegre Arena is one of the largest restaurants in Carabanchel
A traditional restaurant that serves generous portions and homemade dishes
tostas (slices of toasted bread with different toppings) and huevos rotos (fried eggs with potatoes and ham)
La Chata Churrería Cervecería (Avenida de la Plaza de Toros
Restaurant that specialises in hot chocolate with churros (made freshly on site)
larger sharing dishes and a daily set menu
where you can enjoy either lunch or dinner
and order anything from a steak to a dish of pig’s ear
It is also a great place to take the kids since they have a children's menu that they can round off with a delicious thick hot chocolate and churros for dessert
La Taberna de Domínguez (Calle de Castrojeriz
This typical Madrid style taberna offers authentic Spanish food
Enjoy its traditional atmosphere and selection of wines
If you are miss anything, let us know
Delve into Madrid’s exciting food scene with dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant
some tapas in a century-old taberna or a cocktail at a rooftop bar
A selection of restaurants that serve home-made dishes that have been enjoyed in Spain for generations
Art has changed the face of the Carabanchel district
Here you'll find over 130 artists scattered around 40 studios
Here’s a list of the best tapas bars in Madrid for a most enjoyable culinary experience
meat and other products from Madrid with Designation of Origin
This residential block goes up in a new urban expansion area in the southwest of Carabanchel
and is built within the context of the social housing program developed by government of the municipality
the objective of which is to attend to the increasing demand for social housing
the building rests its compact footprint on a rectangular site and accommodates 88 residential units distributed on five stories plus ground floor
The structure sets itself apart from the nearby buildings thanks to its materials
appearing as a volume made of bamboo canes and mounted on a geometrized vegetal terrain that welcomes new activities
freeing up a generous amount of space that is reserved for breakout areas filled with vegetation
every unit has double orientation east-west
which multiplies the number of vertical communication cores until configuring seven entrance doors on its west facade
The dwellings have from one to four bedrooms
Every residential unit has a terrace that provides a ventilated space along the full facade
These terraces are enclosed with bamboo louvers that give the facades a uniformity that is only interrupted by the folding frames
The volume rests on a plinth containing the garage
delimited by an ecological wall carpeted with vegetation
The roof also performs as a sort of plaza surrounded by green
and can be used for walking about or as playground
It is connected via a pedestrian ramp with Las Tubas street
There are ten different types of residential units
Every dwelling has a double orientation that permits a better distribution space
The building’s structure consists of concrete slabs and metal columns that span a 6,60-meter distance
The sections of the columns are reduced in order to increase the living surface of the dwellings
These glass surfaces rest on folding frames and aluminum panels
The residential surface extends beyond this limit to configure a series of terraces that wrap around the perimeter of the building
Measuring 1.5 meters wide along the longitudinal facades
these terraces are made of metal profiles and wood plank partitions that compartmentalize the space between the residential units
This area of transition between exterior and interior is enclosed with a continuous latticework that covers the four facades
Its paced rhythm is only interrupted by the frames
which can be folded by residents in accordance with their specific needs and wishes
thereby creating a lively and random pattern
Aside from providing acoustic and thermal insulation and protection from sun exposure
this operable skin of bamboo louvers mounted on folding frames allows opening up or closing to the views as desired
The plinth conceals the parking area and storerooms
delimited by an ecological wall whose section varies along the perimeter of the plot
configuring an even terrain with gardens and breakout spaces
Cliente ClientEmpresa Municipal de la Vivienda y Suelo
Colaboradores CollaboratorsDavid Casino (dirección de obra y proyecto de ejecución construction supervision and execution project); Leo Gallegos
Caroline Markus (proyecto de Ejecución execution project); Nerea Calvillo (proyecto básico basic project); Alfonso Cuenca (aparejador quantity surveyor)
Proyecto de Estructuras y Arquitectura (estructura structure);Asetecnic (instalaciones mechanical engineering)
there arent any match using your search terms
The new explosively colourful apartments have been made possible by a deceptively simple structure
Rather than express the vertical structural supports
the apartments are read as a series of colour-coded horizontal volumes
with the thin floor slabs between forming a dividing line
The central courtyard has been landscaped as a communal garden
The coloured façade includes folding shutters to keep out the heat and prying eyes
Views through the structure create a mix of public and private external space
It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to pull off a truly colourful building. One of the sorry legacies of modernism's largely sterile palette was the post-modernists' sudden lurch into jarring colour
splashed superficially over façades with little sense of creative composition
Colour application is also the foremost strategy of regeneration - witness HawkinsBrown's scheme for the rebirth of Sheffield's Park Hill flats
The architects refer to the configuration of each unit as a 'house with a yard'. The various units, including two, three and four-bed flats, are simply planned, with a galley kitchen, sitting/dining area and narrow, bunk-like bedrooms. The coloured façade includes folding shutters to keep out the heat and prying eyes. From the street, however, the passer-by gets a polychromatic feast, while the residents have the added bonus of a private interior landscape to enjoy.
Rather than express the vertical structural supports, the apartments are read as a series of colour-coded horizontal volumes, with the thin floor slabs between forming a dividing line
The various units, including two, three and four bed flats, are simply planned, with a galley kitchen, sitting/dining area and narrow, bunk-like bedrooms
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Text description provided by the architects. Outlying contexts surrounded by city border highways, fields, malls… require consistent answers. These are places where any action demands the same audacity, for example, a leaning building. The construction expresses with the language of kinetic, fitting its shape parallel to the slope while the ground floor retrieves the level of the plot defining streets.
The building plan is a thin strip, with narrow apartments opened onto two different scenes: one side the city, the other the wide private garden. Every unit has a room which crosses from side to side, opening simultaneously to both of them. We seek for dwelling with blurred frontiers between spaces, where inner room shape can be changed, and with the presence of an extra room. A room floating outside the building, attached to the facade, large enough to accommodate any domestic activity.
© coco arquitectosWe approach social housing from present society
where customizing your own house is a way to seek for individuality
expresses this new understanding: a random image with all elevation being unique
every single dwelling different from each other
and only the intervention of the users helping it to acquire significance
You'll now receive updates based on what you follow
Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors
If you have done all of this and still can't find the email
Council in suburb of Carabanchel Alto urged to do more amid fears parasitic disease could spread to humans
The people of Carabanchel Alto haven’t always hated the interlopers
curiosity has given way to exasperation and the signs of one of Madrid’s most intractable turf wars are all too evident in the schoolyards
parks and gardens of this south-western corner of the Spanish capital
lie the bones and wizening bodies of a few of the many rabbits that seem set on reclaiming the territory they have lost in Madrid’s continuing sprawl
“When all the buildings went up and the roads were built
all the rabbits’ natural predators disappeared
a craftsman and spokesman for the Carabanchel Alto Neighbourhood Association
“The rabbit numbers now are off the scale and if you have a wet spring
the association and three local parents’ associations warned the rabbit situation was getting dangerously out of hand
While they have nothing against the rabbits themselves
they are growing tired of the destruction the animals are visiting on gardens
and concerned about the diseases they carry
An outbreak of the parasitic disease 12 years ago in the nearby city of Fuenlabrada infected hundreds of people and led to the culling of tens of thousands of rabbits and hares
More than 200 infants at one school haven’t been able to use their playground since last year because of the health risks posed by rabbit urine and excrement
the increasingly brazen rabbits have eaten all the carrots and onions in the educational garden
View image in fullscreenA school playground has been closed due to the risk posed by rabbit urine and excrement
Photograph: Pablo Blázquez/The GuardianThe animals have also proliferated in housing developments whose lushly irrigated lawns and flowerbeds offer a beguiling buffet
especially during the infernal Madrid summer
the whole area round the communal pool was full of excrement – your towels would be studded with it,” says María Secos Morales
the chair of the Colegio Ártica parents’ group
“The residents clubbed together to get a guy to come in with his ferrets to clear out the rabbits
three flashes of brown fur and white scuts shoot out of the rose bushes to chase away the sparrows that have had the temerity to descend on their territory
Secos Morales points out the holes the rabbits have dug beneath the pine trees
including one from which a dead cat was pulled
View image in fullscreenRabbit burrows at a housing development in Carabanchel Alto
Photograph: Pablo Blázquez/The Guardian“The rabbits have no shame at all,” she says
“And it all got worse during the pandemic because no one was allowed out.”
Meléndrez and many others in Carabanchel say the local council just isn’t taking the “occupation” seriously enough and needs to do more than engage in periodic captures and install the odd bit of fencing
he puts on a surgical glove and takes a recently found rabbit skull out of a plastic bag to show how easily the creatures can squeeze through the new fencing around the entrance to the Pinar de San José primary school
“We can’t get all the rabbits out of the area,” says Meléndrez. “But we could put proper, rabbit-proof fences around schools and flats. It’s not like building the Escorial palace; it just needs a bit of thought
the children would be able to play in their school playgrounds.”
the problem has been ignored and the rabbits left to do what they do best
“I like rabbits and I think they should be protected,” he says
“But when the problem becomes a health issue – especially when we’ve just been though an awful pandemic with diseases spreading from animals to humans – I don’t think it’s funny.”
View image in fullscreenMateo Meléndrez uses a rabbit skull to show how easily they can slip through new fencing around a school
Photograph: Pablo Blázquez/The GuardianCarabanchel district council says it is working with affected schools to keep the rabbits out and to get children back into their playgrounds
it is carrying out another ferret deployment
“It’s not that they’re invading us – it’s that we’re occupying their natural habitat in a damaging way,” he says
“We can’t act like we own everything; we need to share these spaces
It’s just about control and trying to maintain the balance.”
Archive HOUSING
Throughout the summer these urban tours will review the history of one of Madrid's most changing districts
The large houses coexisted with the industrialization that spread throughout the district during the nineteenth century: there were brick factories, soap, tanneries or the Fosforera, where the workers’ demands were also raised. Then the Civil War ravaged the Zone, completely changing the urban planning during the 20th century.
From June 1 to November 30, the free routes through Carabanchel will cover the development and urban uniqueness of the area through the two routes: A Neighborhood with a View, focusing more on the contrast between palaces and workers’ housing, and From Palaces to Factories, which revisits the early consequences of industrialization in the neighborhood.
In addition to the Vista Alegra estate, visits will be made to the Old and New Palaces, the Press Colony, the neo-Mudejar houses, the Housing of the Regions of the Franco regime, as well as some current pioneering projects.
The organization of the volumes departs from the alignment of the assigned plot. The adopted solution manages to generate semiprivate courtyards, drawn up as secluded spaces but in contact with the city at the same time.
On the other hand there is a second characteristic, even more important, which is the presence in the southern side of a new urban park that descends practically all the way down to the edges of the M-40. In a dense environment this aspect gives the building a unique character.
Both in its organization and in its scale the project is determined by the features of its context, and this is clear in the organization of the volumes. Thus, one block moves up to the edges of the plot and three more are placed perpendicular to the first. The interior has been designed in accordance with two dwelling types that address the specifications of the program.
The block along the edge of the plot contains a dwelling type with a bay measuring 11,40 meters, organized around a central backbone that contains the services. With a clear and orderly modulation of the structure, this distribution separates the bedroom areas, oriented towards the north, facing the interior garden, from the kitchen and the living room, which takes up most of the surface.
On this side the internal glazed skin that covers the block along its more public facade is set back. With this gesture it is possible to generate terraces open to the park, the views and the south. The opposite facade has been designed to facilitate the union or separation of the bedrooms, thereby highlighting the versatile character of the dwelling and the possibility of changing its functions.
The transversal blocks have a bay measuring 9,30 meters, with duplex apartments in which the lower floor contains the kitchen and living area and the upper floor the bedrooms. In this case the dwellings come out into the landscaped spaces generated among dwellings, closing up to the western orientation and opening up to the east.
Marta Toral, Patricia Planell, Emilio Gómez, Javier Moreno, Ana Guasp, Dorthe Schacht; J. Ramón Parrondo, Alfredo Lozano
H.C.A, María Jesús Izquierdo (estructura structure), 3i Ingeniería(instalaciones mechanical engineering)
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Text description provided by the architects
The project is the result of a restricted competition of architectural ideas convened by Madrid´s Council Social Housing Department (EMVS)
That competition is a first step for the construction of a "demonstrating" building
in the context of the strategy marked by the Integrated I+D+i Manubuild Project
with fundings from the European Commission
The objective of this competition, in which different European teams participated, was to obtain high-level architectural proposals on new building typologies - in the context of Mediterranean climatology and culture - with the use of industrialized, open and sustainable construction systems, so the selected ideas could become the conceptual starting point for the building that EMVS planned to make in Madrid as a demonstrators of that research.
The proposal is based on the comfort and a modern criteria of bioclimatic habitability
in the same line as the first phase of this promotion
This "bioclimatic habitability" is based on the configuration of the building in a certain way to achieve maximum sun light for the living areas
something that EMVS has in mind in its structures since it enhances savings and energy efficiency
The project has been honored with with PassiveHaus Classic certification
becoming the first PassiveHaus project of the Municipal Housing and Soil Company (EMVS) of Madrid
rounding off a long and thin band of the park
the project design departs from the enclosed urban block typology
which with its built perimeter establishes a total spatial difference between exterior and interior
the block opens up and gives up a central character to obtain in this way a greater spatial continuity in relation to the adjacent park
starting not so much from the perimeter but rather from the center towards the edges
which is traced from the maximum diagonal between opposite corners of the plot
and from there it extends in the form of two curved volumes that wrap up the urban block without closing it
With a Z-shaped plan and undulated facades in an ecru-tone brick
the building includes 101 social housing units with dual aspect
and triple in the case of the ones of the extremes
The built mass thus achieves a certain movement that endows the whole with a certain organic character
and allows variation and flexibility in terms of interior layout
Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda y el Suelo de Madrid (EMVS)
Ana Turell (arquitectos asociados associate architects); Enrique Nuere
Juan Luis Rodríguez (arquitectos colaboradores en Madrid architectural associates in Madrid)
Ignacio Tarragó (estructura structure); Estudio Loeches 6B (instalaciones services)
The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden
Time Out scours the globe to find the world’s coolest neighbourhoods and this year’s list of the top 40 crowns Madrid’s Carabanchel number three
The only neighbourhoods to rank higher than Carabanchel are Laureles in Medellín (Colombia) at number one and Smithfield in Dublin (Ireland) at number two
Travel publisher Time Out states that this year’s choices are places with big personalities
“Each area’s diversity is reflected in its food
Community is key: locals have banded together to rebuild their neighbourhood after disaster
to protest the demolition of much-loved cultural venues or simply to create spaces where people can come together and have some fun”
Carabanchel lies outside the Madrid M30 ring road and is located to the south of the centre
the neighbourhood was dominated by one of Europe’s biggest prisons
it was constructed by political prisoners after the Civil War and shaped the grittiness of the neighbourhood for over half a century
READ ALSO: What are Madrid's most affordable neighbourhoods to rent in?
Since the prison closed and was eventually razed to the ground
the neighbourhood has undergone a grand transformation
with galleries and craft beer breweries popping up alongside local community establishments and family favourites that have existed for years
Madrid town hall approved a plan to build 640 new houses on the land where the prison once stood
an education centre and several green zones
plus tourists and digital nomads looking for the next up-and-coming neighbourhood are sure to change Carabanchel even more
READ ALSO: How much does it really cost to live in Madrid?
Time Out has declared that “Carabanchel has turned into the city’s latest version of SoHo
now buzzing with trendy art galleries and cutting-edge creative spaces”
Another place mentioned that has helped to make this barrio the third coolest in the world is Cervezas Patanel
where glasses of chilled craft beer and IPAs are served alongside modern tapas bites such as nachos and honeyed-barbecue chicken
La Grifería follows the same trend with its craft beers on offer
but also serves a selection of wines and more traditional tapas
But it’s not just 'nuevo cool' that has this hood on the list
As mentioned the Time Out editors have also chosen Carabanchel because of its local community feel
and there are some spots here that have been favourite local hangouts for years
One of these is Casa Enriqueta, serving up its traditional gallinejas (crispy lamb or goat intestines to be precise) – a Madrid speciality since 1958. There’s also La Casa de los Minutejos
touted by locals as one of the best places to eat pig ear sandwiches in the city
And of course what hip neighbourhood would be complete without live music venues? Yes, Carabanchel has these too. Two of the best mentioned are the rooftop of El Observatorio Musical, a large cultural space with its own recording studios, and the gigs at Gruta 77
With musical styles from punk rock and ska to reggae and garage
this nightclub is surely the place to see and be seen in Carabanchel
Add this to the sprawling peaceful gardens at the neighbourhood’s Finca Vista Alegre palace that were redone in 2021 and the chic Sabrina Amrani gallery
and you can see why Carabanchel is now on the radar
Whether the new constructions approved by the Madrid town hall and the Time Out accolade change the barrio for the better – no longer the place associated with one of Europe’s biggest prisons – or whether it drives up rents and pushes locals even further out of the city has yet to be seen
locals seem proud that their once little-known neighbourhood has been recognised for what it truly is
It's not the first time a Madrid barrio gets recognised by Time Out
it was the turn of Embajadores (which encompasses multicultural and buzzing Lavapiés)
when it got named the world's coolest by the travel and events magazine
READ MORE: The real reason why this Madrid's Embajadores was named the world's 'coolest' neighbourhood
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the Madrid social housing project was commissioned by the
Morphosis with B+DU Estudio de Arquitectura
the Madrid social housing project was commissioned by the Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda
the city’s public housing authority social housing
The housing complex is part of EMVS’s initiative to build low-cost housing in the suburbs
Architects including Dutch designers MVRDV
David Chipperfield and Peter Cook have so far been involved in at least 18 projects with international firms
The Carabanchel 11 building was designed by architects at Morphosis
which was founded in 1972 in Los Angeles by Thom Mayne
Investment for the housing block was provided by Moscow-based business tycoon Shalva Chigirinsky and the contractor UICESA who are located in Madrid
metal working by TMP Talleres Metalurgicos Penalver SL and roofing panels by EPS (expanded polystyrene) specialists Emmedue Continental-mk2
Associate architects are B+DU Estudio de Arquitectura
and the principals are Begoña Diaz-Rugorri and Leon Benacerraf
Structural engineers for the project are Carlos Pintor and Roberto Vargas
There are 141 two and three-bedroom apartments
and four-bedroom family units of 35 different types
living rooms and an upstairs bedroom with a terrace
The tall chimneys are based on Arab chimneys where cool air is drawn in through the window at the top of the tower which sinks
There are also air conditioning units as a back-up system
The low-income housing project displays features usually found in detached villas
It is a multi-family living complex with recessed porticos bordered by columns (loggias)
and mini gardens planted with oak saplings
and criss-crossing broken beams give the project a spontaneous appearance designed to revitalise the ‘institutionalised’ nature of traditional public housing projects
The emphasis is very much on landscape and community
and creating places where people can meet and talk
rather than a skyscraper-style building where residents are packed in
fenced domestic patios within the residential units
then mid-sized public courtyards and a large
which is shaded by vegetation climbing over a complex
3,000m² of open landscape area is covered in vegetation
Climbing plants grow up the lattices and the walls
and cover the walls of the taller buildings either side of the two-level units
The estate looks like a town condensed into one block – a mixture of high and low-rise forms
There are two towers (of seven and six storeys) which contrast with the housing units which are on two levels
Visitors have access to the complex via a slender
The garage is underground and also provides access to different parts of the village
while keeping the residential areas free from traffic
Streets within the complex are fairly narrow
grid-like structure is ideal for single-parent families
and is influenced by De Stijl and the Constructivists
The communal layout also brings to mind a traditional village structure rather than urban isolationism
Whitewashed walls keep the area cool during the summer
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do you think your housing developments tend to be exercises in hard realism
For this work we’d focus on two questions: attention to domesticity
There is a modern tradition that does not insist too much on asceticism
It’s probably the Nordics who have best materialized this comfort architecture
In every housing project of ours we have thought of comfort as an attribute of the domestic realm
Carabanchel presents several other questions of the sort now widely addressed
which can do much to improve the quality of housing
At the time it was considered a very reactionary thing – to use a word much used fifteen years ago – but today it is very common
Privatization of housing guarantees the care of intermediate spaces
because if these belong to a community of proprietors instead of Town Council
One could actually think of the project as being addressed from each block itself
as much as from the perspective of juxtaposed blocks
The space between every two blocks is not just a consequence
—Earlier we were talking about the influence of Milanese architecture
That of Dudok or Oud is evident in other works of yours
But another interesting theme to take up is profile in social housing: interior blends with exterior to produce the profile
—Does the profile come from the superposition of dwellings of different sizes
The very existence of several dwelling types produces a sufficiently expressive block
and through staggering each unit gets a good terrace
with the living room all the way back-making the house stretch on and the corridor a mystery
—The house is laid out that way because at the time we liked exalting the corridor
But corridors of this kind make lots of things possible: storage space
They become a vital space within the dwelling
Up to recently it was also common to install the telephone there..
Conversation of the authors with Luis Moreno Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón.[+]
Cliente ClientInstituto de la Vivienda de Madrid
Arquitectos ArchitectsAntonio Cruz & Antonio Ortiz
Colaborador Collaborator Carlos Ruiz de la Escalera (aparejador quantity surveyor)
Contratista ContractorFomento de Obras y Construcciones
In a similar fashion to many European cities Madrid has a housing shortage
Providing new affordable public housing in a
City of Madrid public works office the Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda y Suelo (EMVS)
JHS Proyecto de Estructuras y Arquitectura S.L
Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda y Suelo (EMVS)
Providing new affordable public housing in a sustainable manner is not an easy task
Foreign Office Architects (FOA) of London are a relatively new firm (established 1995) but have already made a significant impact with international projects such as Yokohama Port Terminal
FOA have produced a magnificent public housing experiment in a regeneration area in the southern suburbs of Madrid
which is designed to produce an open and sustainable living space for the residents
The site is a parallelogram oriented north-south and limiting on the west with a new urban park and on the north
east and south with similar housing blocks
The housing block has 88 units of different sizes
with bamboo louvres (shades) as the façade
provide various functions in that they form an attractive façade
they provide shade to the extensive veranda areas forming part of the living space inside each apartment
they also allow the living space to be opened completely to the outside world to in effect let light
air and the world in when it is a nice day outside
The housing is the very antithesis of cramped
cheap housing designed with little thought for the eventual occupants
Construction work on the project was finished in March 2007; while there is still some final landscaping to be finished
the first residents moved in at the end of August 2007
The basic parallelogram block hosts units of different sizes and shapes
and due to their tube-like interior shape (13.4m tubes connecting the two façades)
they all have a double east-west orientation (giving good cross-breeze ventilation)
also allowing access to a private garden on the eastern side
Alejandro Zaera Polo of FOA based his design on a very simple concept
experimenting with the standard ideas on social housing to provide a new open environment
All of the residential apartment units are surrounded with a 1.5m timber floor terrace
which is then enclosed by the bamboo louvres
The building is organised around the north-south axis
meaning that it faces the harsh east-west sun for most of the day
The louvres' primary function is to shade the interior from the sun and keep the apartments cool
The project was commissioned by the City of Madrid public works office
the Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda y Suelo (EMVS)
who wanted housing at the depressed area of Carabanchel which was more than just accommodation but also made a social statement and provided the residents with a sense of community and a new start
The building is situated on top of its car park on concrete plinth
which has been disguised and 'landscaped' by cladding it with grass turf
The turf is pinned onto the plinth on top of a special nutrient mat and has automatic sprinklers embedded in it to provide water
Structural columns are incorporated into the walls between the apartments
A further green aspect is the use of solar water-heating panels on the roof
plus wind chimneys to internal bathrooms and kitchens
There is also air conditioning at the developer's insistence
The rooftop plant is not visible from below
as the bamboo-clad facades are extended upwards on steel frames to conceal it
and can easily be cut off the mesh and replaced
Acciona was the construction contractor for the project
Jesús Hierro of JHS Proyecto de Estructuras y Arquitectura SL was the structural engineer for the project
Alfonso Cuenca Sánchez was the quantity surveyor for the project
Asetecnic was the mechanical engineer and Ingeniero Superior de Telecomunicaciones was the telecomunication engineer
Internal areas of the block total 8,183.65m² for apartments
and 3,200.62m² for parking and storage
This makes a total floor space of 11,384.27m²
The project called for the construction of 22 social housing units to be rented by youngsters
in the center of El Rastro – an open air flea market held in Madrid’s La Latina quarter on Sundays
a characteristic building type organized around a large central courtyard
with access to the dwellings through walkways
Some have interior alleys that are occupied by shops and stands during market days
The facade is an open reinterpretation of the typical balcony of the 19th century housing block; towards the square the balconies multiply and squeeze up like the crowds walking around on market days
there were no more ‘corralas’ left in the urban block where this plot is located
The neighborhood courtyards have been replaced by light shafts
Something similar has happened with the facades: the traditional balconies that made them wider with spaces between interior and exterior have been replaced by windows
Overcoming this spatial and functional impoverishment was the aim of the project
and the recovery of the communal interior area as organizing element
rejecting the current conventional type of block with a hall and small light wells
The unique location in the square suggested opening up the courtyard to the plaza through a large entrance
as in some old buildings in the neighborhood
is formed of window shutters with aluminum slats and frames
with double sheet glass and insulation; these parallel diaphragms leave a cushion between apartments and square
a space that can be spatially and climatically adapted by each user
The residential program consists mainly of a volume lined up with the existing buildings
open to the street and with cross-through apartments
The rest is placed at the rear of the plot
with the dwellings hanging – like a backpack – in the two upper floors
several open galleries accommodate the communal areas
Both pieces are linked through footbridges that define the perimeter of the courtyard
of the stairs and the lift addresses the irregular geometry of the plot
with different nuances and senses: field depth in photographic terms when connecting the square with the central courtyard
making the interior spaces flow out to the exterior and extending the reach of the urban fabric and its circulation paths; depth of use when letting the private courtyard open up on market days
thus changing its nature; physical depth in the stratified facade
optical diaphragm and also the thermal cushion of the building; and depth of memory
because the building reinterprets traditional elements like the ‘corrala’
The central courtyard is conceived as an intermediate space between the private and public areas; a place for interaction that extends the dwellings and favors coexistence – parking for bicycles
communal laundry room and clotheslines – and spaces for other uses
Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda y Suelo de Madrid (EMVS)
Pablo Martín Palomeque; José Ramón Pérez Arroyo (arquitecto técnico quantity surveyor)
Eduardo Cardero (cálculo de estructura structure calculation); Mario Abajo/Maproing (instalaciones mechanical engineering);
the 54th edition of the running race called "Cross Don Bosco," organized for the feast of the Saint of Youth
was held in Madrid's "Carabanchel" neighborhood
2,623 runners gathered at the Salesian house in Carabanchel to participate in the event
from 600 meters for the youngest runners to 5,100 meters for the oldest
The awards ceremony was attended by Carabanchel District Councilor Álvaro González
who stressed the sporting importance of the event and the promotion of running as a healthy habit
which had the support of local security and health forces
was organized by the Salesian House in Carabanchel
with the collaboration of the SSM Province
and the companies "Peras Rincón Del Soto" and "Serunion."
ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication
the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007
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Located in the Puente de Vallecas district
the SFJ6 residential complex commissioned by EMVS (Madrid’s municipal housing and land corporation) counts 102 social-housing units
With a total area of 13,268 square meters and a material-execution budget of 9,731,009 euros
it presents a bending facade and changes of height
efforts were made to reduce the scale through uniformized windows
Four ochre-colored courtyards each contitute an entrance
accessible from outside and from the respective vertical-circulation core
The floors plan of the apartments were determined by cross-ventilation considerations and by a desire to give every unit views of the street from its daytime areas
The building has 2 to 3 basement levels for parking
and they get natural light through large openings to the courtyards
such as a pedestrian street and a terraced square to the south
Passive strategies like cross ventilation and a high-performance thermal envelope are combined with systems for regaining heat and supplying clean hot water and heating (District Heating del Ecobarrio)
not to mention renewable sources of energy (aerothermal systems and photovoltaic panels)
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