After a first remodel in the early 1980s, this remarkable, rigorously modulated building of considerable size is being given a complete overhaul while respecting its essence. The horizontal lines of the “loggias” that wrap around the entire building characterise its external appearance, leading Cano Lasso to describe its style as “classicist rationalism reminiscent of the Italian architecture of the 1930s”.
The iconic building—with a usable floor area of 13,991 square metres distributed among three floors above ground and a slightly larger basement level—is accompanied by a ventilation shaft rising from the basement whose verticality presents a striking contrast to the low-lying office spaces. Both structures share a 15,370-square-metre plot with landscaped green zones, a terrace surrounding the buildings, and an outdoor car park with
more than 180 spots.
The author of the new remodeling project is Madrid architect Carlos Lamela, who is also determined to respect the spirit of the original design. After a painstaking study of the facade, Empty decided to preserve the original white marble cladding, restoring and anchoring it to the concrete cantilever ends of the floor slabs. The building’s volume is also being enhanced with the addition of a light roof over the three open bays on the second floor, thereby gaining 900 square metres of office space.
The contract also involves considerable structural work on the main circulation core, which is being completely demolished and replaced by one with a metal frame, after moving a bay in one of the inner courtyards. In addition, Empty is removing the glass roofs over the two inner courtyards that divided the first floor until now, and both are being extended to give the ground floor more natural light.
