The Casa de Campo in Madrid hides a treasure that many Madrilenians do not know, a building that arrived in Madrid in 1959 after winning the first prize at the Universal Exhibition in Brussels in 1958. Years after this achievement, this space was forgotten and abandoned, we are referring to the Hexagons Pavilion.
This architectural marvel was designed by two architects, José Antonio Corrales and Ramón Vázquez Molezún, who represented Spain at this exposition. This pair of architects not only won the first prize, but their work was ahead of buildings such as the famous Atomium in Brussels or the Philips Pavilion by Xenakis.
The two conditions established by the competition were: to respect the existing trees and that the pavilion could be dismantled. As a result, the pavilion could be moved in 1959 to the Casa de Campo in Madrid. The pavilion’s design was based on hexagonal modules in the shape of inverted umbrellas that allowed the building to adapt to any terrain. When the pavilion was moved from Brussels to Madrid, the building took on a different shape, adapting to the new terrain and respecting the trees.
The new life of the Hexagons Pavilion
The Pavilion of the Hexagons hosted the Country Fairs between 1950 and 1975. This building has been practically abandoned until 2019, when they started with the remodeling of the space. The budget for the refurbishment is 1.3 million euros, and some 850 square meters of the more than 3,000 available have been recovered and musealized. The deadlines for the renovation have been delayed due to the pandemic, but now this “umbrella forest” is a new museum of contemporary art.
As of March 4, 2025 the Pavilion is open to the public. The Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Madrid Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Tourism and Sport of the Madrid City Council, have been in charge of reopening this exhibition space in the capital.