On September 8, 2026, the new Faro Santander Museum will open in its place - the bureau's first museum project in Spain. About this write Dezeen.
The building was erected in 1795. Over the following centuries, it was repeatedly rebuilt and expanded, and its transformation into a museum took nine years.
Photo: Juan Baraja
During the renovation, the architects converted about 10 square meters of former office space. Five floors were dedicated to exhibition galleries, which will display works from the Banco Santander collection, one of the largest private art collections in Spain.
Photo: Juan Baraja
At the same time, the museum is conceived as a space for contemporary art and artistic experiments. The building also features a café, a restaurant, an underground conference room, and a panoramic rooftop terrace.
Photo: Juan Baraja
According to the firm's founder, David Chipperfield, the building has a complex, multi-layered history, so the team's main task was to rethink its space in accordance with the needs of a modern public institution.
Photo: Juan Baraja
The architects preserved the historical structure of the building as much as possible. The central element of the project was a vertical communication axis that connects all floors and leads to a characteristic arch on the facade.
Photo: Juan Baraja
The space is designed to symbolize the transformation of a former bank headquarters into an open public institution. New architectural elements include a monolithic concrete spiral staircase and a lightweight steel pavilion on the roof, contrasting with the historic building.
Photo: Juan Baraja
Particular attention was paid to environmental friendliness during the reconstruction. The building was equipped with a geothermal heating and cooling system, green roofs, and a rainwater collection system.
Photo: Juan Baraja
Thanks to this, the museum received the BREEAM Outstanding certificate with a score of 92,96 points — the highest score among registered museums and cultural institutions in the world according to this international building sustainability assessment system.
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