Norman Foster reprimands his project after he renounced in 2014 by disagreements with the city of Madrid
In 2014, the British architect wanted to remodel the palace which acquired located in Monte Esquinza of Madrid, but the obstacles placed the city of the capital made its foundation Foster Madrid will take. Now, two years later it seems that the architect and his wife Elena Ochoa asperities have filed with the council and have revived the project in the capital.
The Madrid headquarters, since its founding, hosts part of legacy Foster. The mansion was purchased by nine million euros after Bankia put it on sale in 2012. The building has an area of 1.704 square meters, and plus the remodeling that they want to perform, would have a total of 1.874. At the beginning, the Foster marriage wanted to dedicate it to host a lot of their files and works from their private collection, in addition to use as a platform for discussion of urban issues, architectural, design and art, among other disciplines.
Among the initiatives that will host the Foster Foundation there is the airport of drones in its own pavilion. The actions are driven by the team of the foundation and, as well explains Elena Ochoa, will support the IMT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), federal polytechnics in Lausanne and Zurich University, the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the Lafargue Holcioum Foundation.
At the moment, as Elena Ochoa said, the foundation is still in development. But in late May, coinciding with the Venice Biennale, where this project will be announced if it is carried out definitely.
The reform project, carried out by Foster himself, ran into obstacles to being a protected estate because of its historical value -built in 1902 as the residence of the Duke of Plasencia- and therefore was not seen with good eyes the reform by the local heritage committee.
Despite the negative opinions of the previous government, Manuela Carmena’s team has reached out with the architect a point in which both would be happy if it is finally decided by the city of Madrid to establish its headquarters. Still, from the council they have not yet ruled on the approval of the project because they hope should be the foundation the one that reports on its intentions in Madrid.
A future in Chamberí
The involvement of the architect, an award-winning of the Prince of Asturias Arts Prize in 2009, could go beyond the walls of his palace. The headquarters is located next to the Fronton Beti-Jai, now in ruins but is awaiting remodeling. This was built in the nineteenth century and is the only sports facility in Madrid that retains its original design after 120 years of history. The work of remodeling is going to competitive tendering soon and Foster already interested in the project, although the Mayor of Madrid have ensured that the British architect “would have nothing to do with his personal project, despite adjoin the building of its foundation”.
