The place Puerta Cerrada is a site steeped in history in the center of Madrid. This was the location of the 11th-century Christian wall, one of the main defensive systems built after the reconquest of the city. Madrid, like many historic cities, incorporated its walls into its layout as the city continued to expand. Although these Structures now almost completely disappeared, their mark remains present in public spaces and in the layout of the streets, forming routes that still reveal the medieval structure of the city.

Recovering precisely this layout of the wall, the project a large pedestrian ring road connecting three of the old entrance gates entrance the city. This route is made possible by pedestrianizing Calle de la Cava leave Calle de la Cava de San Miguel, which are currently saturated with traffic and car park their high heritage and commercial value. place Cerrada place thus becomes the hub of this route, restoring its status as the gateway to the historic city and reinforcing its role as a meeting point meeting urban hub.

On a functional level, the project a program divided into three parts: an archaeological interpretation center located in the area , a cultural center above ground that occupies the main body of the complex, and a smaller building that houses a spirituality center. These three parts are connected to each other by the area .

Currently, the place an irregular perimeter, with dividing walls in poor condition, the result of previous demolitions to clear the route of the wall, which means that the place have a clearly defined geometry and is more meeting a meeting streets than a place.

A strategy of infill and volumetric adaptation is adopted which, with issue , allows for the covering of party walls and the infilling of existing blocks with narrow buildings above ground level.

Beneath the place the wall area , whose irregular perimeter adapts to the buildings above ground level, respecting their foundations. Inside, there is a series of orthogonal boxes containing the Closed program, leaving free spaces between them that form a museum route linked to the archaeological remains. 

This area is accessed via a place , which serves as the main entrance to the archaeological center and allows natural light and ventilation entrance , functioning as a space prior to the entrance building.

On the upper floors, given the limited surface area, the spaces are distributed vertically, working with double-height spaces that allow natural entrance and reinforce spatial continuity. 

From a volumetric point of view, the project into its surroundings through a volumetry consistent with the historical fabric: narrow corridors, sloping roofs, and fragmentation.

The façades are constructed using a traditional double-layer brick system with lime mortar plaster, scraped vertically to create rhythm. The stone plinth extends into the new place, conceiving the basement roof as a fifth façade that connects both buildings on the ground floor and gives unity to the entire project.

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