While on the one hand a fundamental part of Antonio Palacios’ legacy and Madrid’s industrial heritage was being destroyed forever, on the other hand exhibitions and tributes were being organized in honor of the architect and, paradoxically, to remember other works of his that have already disappeared. The conclusion remains the same: the demolition of the historic Cuatro Caminos Coach House – carried out between February and June 2021 – was illegal before it took place and remains so afterwards.
This has been ratified for the second time by the High Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) in response to an appeal filed by the City Council of the capital, the Community of Madrid, Metro, and the Sociedad Cooperativa Residencial Metropolitan, in an attempt to move forward with a development of several buildings and a skyscraper that was to replace the now-defunct coach house.
With this ruling, the courts have once again ruled in favor of the Association for the Defense of the Historical, Artistic, Cultural, Social, and Natural Heritage of the Community of Madrid (MCYP) and Ecologistas en Acción, which defended the protection of these 1919 facilities, designed by the Galician architect and pioneers in the field of rail transport worldwide:
Neighborhood groups such as Corazón Verde de Chamberí and Parque Sí en Chamberí have also spoken out on this issue over the years, and a website was even created—Salvemos Cuatro Caminos. Plataforma por un Museo de Metro en las Cocheras Históricas de Antonio Palacios (Save Cuatro Caminos. Platform for a Metro Museum in the Historic Garages of AntonioPalacios)—which highlights the importance of its conservation and protection and the problems of the failed urban development project.
What is the future of the now-defunct Cuatro Caminos Coach House?
The “victory” in court can only be bittersweet: while its significance is recognized, the loss of industrial and cultural heritage is irreversible.
However, both MCYP and Ecologistas en Acción are calling for accountability: “The plan for the Metro Cocheras in Cuatro Caminos was illegal from the outset, and the demolition was therefore also illegal, as it was granted without legitimacy: Who is responsible for this?”
To remedy the damage as far as possible, they demand that “the space that should never have been demolishedbe recoveredin order to enhance the value of the Metro complex” and also suggest that it should house “the unique historical collection of the [Metro] company.”
The Madrid City Council’s plan, however, seems to be moving in another direction: according to statements made to El Economista by the delegate for Urban Planning, Environment, and Mobility, Borja Carabante, despite the court’s refusal, they are already in contact with residents to “work on a new plan that will reconcile the need to comply with what the General Plan says on that plot.”