La Casa Encendida transforms its building between Lavapiés and Arganzuela into a true climate-friendly garden to help you get through the Madrid summer: an oasis with palm trees, shade, a landscaped rooftop, and a continuous cultural program from June 26 to August 2. Under the theme of an oasis where the temperature drops and time stands still, the center offers outdoor movies, sunset concerts, board games, exhibitions, activities for families and teens, and a socially conscious dining experience—all right in the heart of Madrid.
On Fridays, the terrace hosts the summer film series with films such as *Night on Earth* by Jim Jarmusch, *Long Journey into Night* by Bi Gan , *Portrait of an Alcoholic* by Ulrike Ottinger, *A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night* by Ana Lily Amirpour, *Angel’s Egg* by Mamoru Oshii, and *The African Desperate* by Martine Syms.
Music Under the Stars and a Climate Refuge
On Saturdays, the rooftop comes alive with concerts at sunset and into the early evening. The lineup includes Palestinian artist Bint Mbareh, who blends electronic music with the soundscapes of the Arab world; Iranian artist Ava Rasti, whose work straddles ambient and drone music; Argentine cellist Violeta García, a leading figure in experimental noise; British artist RenzNiro, an emerging figure in grime; Cantabrian artist Amanda Mur; and Adrasha, a DJ of Ethiopian origin who fuses sounds from the African diaspora with club electronic music—all part of a program curated by Acacia Ojea.
Beyond the rooftop, the building’s interior is designed as a refuge for all ages. Juegatorio returns as a free, air-conditioned space dedicated to board games, open on weekends in June and from Tuesday through Sunday in July until August 2, with options ranging from chess and *Terraforming Mars* to *mus*, *parchís*, or *Catán*, and featuring workshops such as the Chessbian chess introduction or the “Design Your Own Board Game” lab.
The Library offers another respite: an open reading room with an extensive collection of books where adults and children can let their imaginations take them far from the heat of the street, while the Espacio Nido, designed by Antonio Ballester Moreno and architect Ana Ausín, provides a setting of sculptural furniture for play and early exploration by babies aged 0 to 3. The “En Familia” program rounds out this section with concerts, mini dance clubs, lullaby circles, and reading workshops for the little ones.
