A play of scales and color re-imagines the original space below the Jean Nouvel designed auditorium of the Reina Sofía Museum. Special attention is given to lighting and acoustics to humanize the otherwise diaphanous open space. Built-in fixtures and movable custom furnishings based on circular fractal geometries produce varying degrees of intimacy and flexibility to adapt to different needs from casual seating to formal meals and large events.

Paula Rosales is an architect and designer with a wide experience in Madrid and New York City, where she has completed widely published branded commercial interiors and residential projects. Paula considers design as a tool to respond to client’s needs and resources with creativity, and above all, to improve people’s lives through her spaces. She believes that we are what we eat, but also what we touch, smell, see and hear. Thus, careful and inclusive design and construction can and should enhance wellbeing, care for oneself and the environment through all our senses.

When the museum Reina Sofía opened its doors in 1990, it stood as a modern, contemporary Spanish museum on an international scale. Nevertheless, its building has gone through many challenges in order to achieve this goal. The construction of the new building by Jean Nouvel, opened in September of 2005. In this way the Museum responded not only to its proposed needs, but also to a clear call to transform the neighborhood’s surrounding environment. By creating a public square, a space within the city and for the city was created. In this way the competition for the refurbishment of the cafeteria and restaurant at Nouvel´s building aimed to welcome and nurture the museum visitors, employees, and neighbors of Madrid.