Behind Madrid’s façades: architecture week opens an abattoir, student pavilions and gardens

Spain · Architecture

A former abattoir, student pavilions and the work of Antonio Lamela offer different ways to read the city. Architecture week runs until 13 October, with specific visits scheduled for Tuesday 6 October.

Paseo de la Chopera 14 was once the address of Madrid’s abattoir. During architecture week, you can explore what a new use does to a building. Matadero Madrid is on the programme for Tuesday 6 October, with visits at 11am and 12.30pm. The organisers specify thirty places and require advance registration.

The Semana Internacional de la Arquitectura takes place for the twenty-third time in 2026, from 2 to 13 October. The architects’ association COAM and its foundation organise the event with the city of Madrid. Switzerland is the guest country. The programme includes building visits, exhibitions, discussions and routes through neighbourhoods and green spaces.

New users for an abattoir

Matadero’s pavilions were built beside the Manzanares in the early twentieth century. The architecture week describes their style as Neo-Mudéjar. From 2005, the site became a centre for contemporary culture. The old halls made room for theatre, film, music and workshops, among other uses.

The change went beyond a new function behind the same door. Streets and squares between the buildings also connect the separate venues. The visit therefore concerns an entire complex: which existing spaces could be reused, and how do they fit together? The programme describes an accessible visit and available aids, including wheelchairs and equipment for people with hearing impairments.

Pavilions among the gardens

On the same Tuesday, guided tours take place at the Residencia de Estudiantes at Calle del Pinar 21. The programme lists departures at 11am, noon and 1pm, each for up to 25 visitors, with advance registration.

Here, the relationship between buildings and gardens is the subject. According to COAM, the pavilions belong to an important ensemble from the first third of the twentieth century. Antonio Flórez Urdapilleta and Francisco Javier de Luque are named as the designers, with the date 1915. An extension followed in the 1940s, and a restoration was completed in 2001.

The poet Juan Ramón Jiménez named the place Colina de los Chopos. That detail suits a visit which considers buildings as part of their surroundings. The programme brings together a student residence, gardens and later alterations; at Matadero, the emphasis is on reusing an industrial site.

An architect in an exhibition

At Calle Hortaleza 63, the exhibition on Antonio Lamela offers a third approach to the subject. Lamela lived from 1926 to 2017 and, according to the organisers, began his practice in 1954. His work includes both bioclimatic buildings and suspended architecture. The exhibition remains open longer than architecture week, until 10 December.

On 6 October, the programme also includes a route through the historic park El Capricho and a walk past more modern buildings in the Salamanca district. El Capricho is a historic garden; in Salamanca, the outdoor route passes several buildings. Some activities are marked as fully booked in the calendar, so being listed in the programme does not guarantee admission.

Practical information

Architecture week: 2–13 October 2026, at various locations in Madrid. Matadero’s address is Paseo de la Chopera 14; metro Legazpi. The Residencia tour starts at Calle del Pinar 21; metro Gregorio Marañón. Register in advance through the official event page and check availability and any charges for each activity.

Lamela exhibition: COAM, Calle Hortaleza 63, weekdays 9am–8pm; closed on public holidays. COAM does not list a registration requirement for this exhibition. The official programme allows a maximum of two registrations for building visits or walking routes per person. Information dated 4 October 2026; the current calendar gives the latest event details.