The Val-verde project is the 2021 winner of Reinventing Cities, which seeks to recover and upgrade the iconic Clesa industrial complex, a work of Alejandro de la Sota in Madrid’s Fuencarral-El Pardo district that is currently in a state of abandon. The refurbishment is seen as an exercise in respecting and guaranteeing the preservation of architectural heritage, keeping intact its essence, its spaces, and all construction elements characterizing the extraordinary building.

The objective is to turn the old plant into a space for exchanging and furthering knowledge in over 10,500 square meters of space for medical and biotechnological research, a convention center for 500 people, a multipurpose coworking facility attracting scientific talent, and a cultural center encompassing more than 1,000 square meters. It is to be an ecosystem that welcomes scientific and cultural communities through alliances with national institutions, such as the Autonomous University of Madrid, and international ones too. In addition, Val-verde endeavors to be a benchmark in sustainable urban development by incorporating solutions for using energy and water, reducing carbon footprints, managing wastes, and minimizing impacts on the environment.

Madrid City Hall and the Dutch company Kadans Science Partner, which manages research centers, form the public-private alliance that is materializing this project in collaboration with the teams of specialists that have taken part in elaborating the Val-verde project: Rubio Arquitectura (Carlos Rubio Carvajal), ERM Iberia, Aecom, Gleeds, La Fábrica, Alè Estudio, and the firm Garrigues. Metrovacesa will be contracted to manage the construction process.