Regaining a sense of belonging
Climate Refuge
The Climate Refuge at the Círculo de Bellas Artes
The Climate Refuge (summer 2024) transformed Madrid’s Círculo de Bellas Artes historic ballroom into an 800m² sustainable public plaza. It offered relief from extreme heat, especially for vulnerable people. Designed collaboratively, it was more than just a cooling centre—it became a vibrant community hub for work, rest, and connection. The Refuge demonstrated how cultural spaces can promote environmental resilience, social inclusion, and inspire hopeful visions of our sustainable future.
Spain
Local
Madrid
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
2024-09-08
No
No
No
As a representative of an organisation
In the summer of 2024, Madrid's Círculo de Bellas Artes (CBA) transformed its historic ballroom into an 800m² indoor public plaza—The Climate Refuge. This innovative space offered a cool escape from the city's extreme heat, maintaining a comfortable 26°C while outdoor soared to 40°C. Targeted at heat-vulnerable groups—low-income residents, elderly, children, or outdoor workers—it provided crucial respite and social connection, reimagining how cultural institutions can address urban challenges, foster belonging, and become a hub for community engagement.
Founded in 1880, the CBA is a private cultural centre, known for embracing contemporary artistic trends and international collaboration. Its programming spans visual arts, debates, cinema, music, and performing arts.
The Refuge was grounded in the principles of circular economy, climate action, and the integration of culture, nature, and the humanities. It serves as a vibrant community hub, where diverse groups work, rest, play, or connect—moving beyond alarmist climate narratives to promote tangible, optimistic solutions for sustainable urban living.
Its success lies in its holistic approach to ecological and social innovation. The space was shaped through collaboration with environmental collectives, creative partners, artists, and residents, using local resources. Features such as municipal vegetation, a community garden, and repurposed school furniture created welcoming zones for a variety of activities, from quiet reading to lively socializing.
More than just a cooling centre, it eliminated economic barriers and fostered inclusivity, becoming a dynamic community space. Built on sustainable principles, it showcases how cultural institutions can inspire change by integrating culture, nature, and climate action.
This replicable model shows how addressing climate challenges can boost community engagement, preserve cultural significance and drive meaningful change through sustainability and involvement.
Founded in 1880, the CBA is a private cultural centre, known for embracing contemporary artistic trends and international collaboration. Its programming spans visual arts, debates, cinema, music, and performing arts.
The Refuge was grounded in the principles of circular economy, climate action, and the integration of culture, nature, and the humanities. It serves as a vibrant community hub, where diverse groups work, rest, play, or connect—moving beyond alarmist climate narratives to promote tangible, optimistic solutions for sustainable urban living.
Its success lies in its holistic approach to ecological and social innovation. The space was shaped through collaboration with environmental collectives, creative partners, artists, and residents, using local resources. Features such as municipal vegetation, a community garden, and repurposed school furniture created welcoming zones for a variety of activities, from quiet reading to lively socializing.
More than just a cooling centre, it eliminated economic barriers and fostered inclusivity, becoming a dynamic community space. Built on sustainable principles, it showcases how cultural institutions can inspire change by integrating culture, nature, and climate action.
This replicable model shows how addressing climate challenges can boost community engagement, preserve cultural significance and drive meaningful change through sustainability and involvement.
Refuge
Sustainable
Community
Transformation
Inclusion
O1. Create a safe, accessible space that offers relief from extreme temperatures, providing a cool refuge particularly for heat-vulnerable groups. It offered a vital contrast to the searing 40°C heat outside, providing a free refreshing retreat for Madrid residents. A shaded area with free drinking water, at a comfortable cool 26°C, according to energy efficiency regulations. It also included pet access.
O2. Transform a historic ballroom into a sustainable cooling refuge while preserving architectural integrity. A reversible intervention integrated organic and reused materials, which adapted the iconic architecture of the space while housing 45,000 people over eight weeks. The design's multifunctional zones (workspace, relaxation, water fountain, chess and reading corners, community garden) demonstrated how architectural conservation, and environmental adaptation can work in harmony.
O3. Minimize environmental impact through circular design and resource efficiency. It showcased environmental innovation through circular design and resource efficiency. A temporary indoor garden with 450 community-donated and municipal plants for natural cooling and biodiversity.
Our zero-waste approach repurposed old furniture into seating, a disused bar into a community garden and plantable seed paper for communications, turning waste into resources.
A distinguishing feature is its comprehensive end-of-life strategy. All elements found a second life in September—furniture moved to SUR (CBA’s Art School), plants returned to nurseries, and terraces redistributed to cultural centres.
O4. Re-imagining the CBA as a hub for climate optimism and action. It sparked lasting partnerships with environmental organizations and local communities, while drove a strategic institutional shift that prioritized sustainability in programming. It demonstrated that culture can take on a public role and become dynamic centres of community climate action, generating optimism and practical solutions.
O2. Transform a historic ballroom into a sustainable cooling refuge while preserving architectural integrity. A reversible intervention integrated organic and reused materials, which adapted the iconic architecture of the space while housing 45,000 people over eight weeks. The design's multifunctional zones (workspace, relaxation, water fountain, chess and reading corners, community garden) demonstrated how architectural conservation, and environmental adaptation can work in harmony.
O3. Minimize environmental impact through circular design and resource efficiency. It showcased environmental innovation through circular design and resource efficiency. A temporary indoor garden with 450 community-donated and municipal plants for natural cooling and biodiversity.
Our zero-waste approach repurposed old furniture into seating, a disused bar into a community garden and plantable seed paper for communications, turning waste into resources.
A distinguishing feature is its comprehensive end-of-life strategy. All elements found a second life in September—furniture moved to SUR (CBA’s Art School), plants returned to nurseries, and terraces redistributed to cultural centres.
O4. Re-imagining the CBA as a hub for climate optimism and action. It sparked lasting partnerships with environmental organizations and local communities, while drove a strategic institutional shift that prioritized sustainability in programming. It demonstrated that culture can take on a public role and become dynamic centres of community climate action, generating optimism and practical solutions.
O1 Transform a century-old ballroom into an immersive, beautiful, green public square. The design blended natural freshness with the building’s architecture, integrating plants like ficus, pothos, and ferns alongside a century-old dome, columns, new wooden planters, and a carefully curated soundscape. The plants were selected not only for their ability to adapt to the room's light and temperature but also to evoke sensory experiences. Some were soft to the touch, while others were rougher, creating a tactile and visual contrast.
O2 Create a comfortable and welcoming space that combats urban isolation and serves as a true refuge during heatwaves for the citizens of Madrid. We envisioned the space as a comfortable, versatile environment, not an exhibition, but a place to relax and enjoy. It offered areas for activities like reading, chess, strolling, working, or merely relaxing. Designed to encourage social interaction, it fostered an open, inclusive atmosphere.
By creating a free, accessible space, we broke down social barriers, offering both physical and emotional respite from urban pressures and the heat island effect to diverse communities. More than just cooling, it served as social infrastructure, combating isolation and providing a consumption-free public square for Madrid’s residents to connect, rest, and find community support.
O3. Integrate contemporary art and creative design to enrich the visitor experience. Working with artists and creative collectives who integrate environmental issues into their practices, we created a multi-sensory experience that merged historic architecture with contemporary interventions.
Sayaka Fujio's sound installation, Germinando plant selection and Basurama’s upcycled furniture transformed the space, balancing functionality with aesthetic innovation. Fujio's installation, inspired by ecological succession, blends soundscapes and guided meditation to reflect plant growth stages, evoking nature’s rhythm and our place in it.
O2 Create a comfortable and welcoming space that combats urban isolation and serves as a true refuge during heatwaves for the citizens of Madrid. We envisioned the space as a comfortable, versatile environment, not an exhibition, but a place to relax and enjoy. It offered areas for activities like reading, chess, strolling, working, or merely relaxing. Designed to encourage social interaction, it fostered an open, inclusive atmosphere.
By creating a free, accessible space, we broke down social barriers, offering both physical and emotional respite from urban pressures and the heat island effect to diverse communities. More than just cooling, it served as social infrastructure, combating isolation and providing a consumption-free public square for Madrid’s residents to connect, rest, and find community support.
O3. Integrate contemporary art and creative design to enrich the visitor experience. Working with artists and creative collectives who integrate environmental issues into their practices, we created a multi-sensory experience that merged historic architecture with contemporary interventions.
Sayaka Fujio's sound installation, Germinando plant selection and Basurama’s upcycled furniture transformed the space, balancing functionality with aesthetic innovation. Fujio's installation, inspired by ecological succession, blends soundscapes and guided meditation to reflect plant growth stages, evoking nature’s rhythm and our place in it.
O1 Design a welcoming public square that embraces the diverse needs of the community and prioritize vulnerable communities. With free entry, flexible hours, and an inclusive design, we welcomed 45,000 visitors, offering quiet work areas and social zones, ensured that everyone could find their place
The project went beyond simply being open to all—it specifically targeted heat-vulnerable populations such as low-income families, the elderly, and underserved neighbourhoods, turning the space into a vital refuge. Thoughtful design, targeted programming, outreach through trusted community partners, and tailored communications ensured inclusivity. For example, 210 urban camp children, 60 institutionalized seniors, and 30 unaccompanied minors joined targeted activities..
More than just inclusive, the project built community, uniting artists, residents, and vulnerable groups in shared space ownership.
O2. Reduce urban isolation and foster intergenerational connections. Our space became a hub for cross-generational interaction, with versatile areas like chess corners and reading spaces that fostered natural social exchanges.
Like public parks and town centres of the past, the Refuge became a vibrant hub where community bonds flourish. This approach transformed the CBA into a truly inclusive meeting place, attracting visitors from diverse backgrounds who engage in shared activities and spontaneous conversations, breathing new life into the institution and combating urban isolation.
O3. Create a lasting, adaptable community space. By integrating community input and partnering with local organizations, we’ve created a sustainable, adaptive space that evolves with community needs and participation, fostering ownership and long-term engagement.
The project went beyond simply being open to all—it specifically targeted heat-vulnerable populations such as low-income families, the elderly, and underserved neighbourhoods, turning the space into a vital refuge. Thoughtful design, targeted programming, outreach through trusted community partners, and tailored communications ensured inclusivity. For example, 210 urban camp children, 60 institutionalized seniors, and 30 unaccompanied minors joined targeted activities..
More than just inclusive, the project built community, uniting artists, residents, and vulnerable groups in shared space ownership.
O2. Reduce urban isolation and foster intergenerational connections. Our space became a hub for cross-generational interaction, with versatile areas like chess corners and reading spaces that fostered natural social exchanges.
Like public parks and town centres of the past, the Refuge became a vibrant hub where community bonds flourish. This approach transformed the CBA into a truly inclusive meeting place, attracting visitors from diverse backgrounds who engage in shared activities and spontaneous conversations, breathing new life into the institution and combating urban isolation.
O3. Create a lasting, adaptable community space. By integrating community input and partnering with local organizations, we’ve created a sustainable, adaptive space that evolves with community needs and participation, fostering ownership and long-term engagement.
The Climate Refuge was designed to foster citizen ownership, allowing people to interact freely, much like in parks and public squares, spaces that are becoming increasingly rare as cities grow more commercialized. In Madrid, where searing summer heat makes outdoor socializing nearly impossible, the need for accessible, climate-controlled communal spaces is more urgent than ever.
It flexible design encouraged diverse forms of citizen appropriation. Visitors could freely choose how to use the space—whether for work, rest, or social interaction—creating an organic, community-driven environment. The plant-lending program turned it into a community garden, chess tables sparked games between strangers, and the workspace became a hub for local connections. These simple yet powerful initiatives fostered personal ties and create significant collective impact.
Community engagement extended through partnerships with artistic and environmental collectives. Basurama, Germinando, and Savia Bruta led the space's transformation, bringing expertise in sustainable design, biodiversity and creative reuse. Their involvement shaped the project to meet local needs by integrating existing efforts, making it a hub for climate action groups.
The Refuge catalyzed lasting relationships that extended far beyond the summer, transforming one-time participants into active collaborators. In a notable shift from passive recipients to program creators, elderly workshops participants then lead Christmas intergenerational storytelling. Organizations such as Somos Acogida, Repair Café, and Ajedrez en el Parque have become regular partners, contributing to regular initiatives.
This transformation breaks traditional barriers and fosters community ownership. What began as a temporary climate adaptation initiative has evolved into a sustainable model of community engagement, where participants become creators, and vulnerable groups take on lasting roles within the institution.
It flexible design encouraged diverse forms of citizen appropriation. Visitors could freely choose how to use the space—whether for work, rest, or social interaction—creating an organic, community-driven environment. The plant-lending program turned it into a community garden, chess tables sparked games between strangers, and the workspace became a hub for local connections. These simple yet powerful initiatives fostered personal ties and create significant collective impact.
Community engagement extended through partnerships with artistic and environmental collectives. Basurama, Germinando, and Savia Bruta led the space's transformation, bringing expertise in sustainable design, biodiversity and creative reuse. Their involvement shaped the project to meet local needs by integrating existing efforts, making it a hub for climate action groups.
The Refuge catalyzed lasting relationships that extended far beyond the summer, transforming one-time participants into active collaborators. In a notable shift from passive recipients to program creators, elderly workshops participants then lead Christmas intergenerational storytelling. Organizations such as Somos Acogida, Repair Café, and Ajedrez en el Parque have become regular partners, contributing to regular initiatives.
This transformation breaks traditional barriers and fosters community ownership. What began as a temporary climate adaptation initiative has evolved into a sustainable model of community engagement, where participants become creators, and vulnerable groups take on lasting roles within the institution.
The project exemplifies successful collaboration between CBA and public institutions, community organizations, and the private sector, maximizing social and environmental impact while ensuring sustainability. This integration established a lasting framework for local climate action, paving the way for future editions. This analysis highlights each stakeholder group's role in the project's:
•Madrid City Council through the Vivero Estufas de El Retiro, supplied vegetation for the indoor garden, while public urban camps, toy libraries, and senior centres fostered community connections and intergenerational integration.
•Community organizations connected vulnerable groups, offering expertise and welcoming actions. Senior centres and social inclusion groups (Somos Acogida) encouraged participation, while Repair Café Madrid promoted waste reduction and social connections through repair knowledge.
•CaixaBank and Fundación Reale offered essential financial support.
•The European Climate Foundation advised us and connected with key stakeholders
•Fundación Biodiversidad (Ministry for Ecological Transition), established a partnership to ensure future initiatives at the CBA.
•Collectives contributed their expertise and work, turning the Refuge into a meeting hub for local climate and creative initiatives and sustainable solutions. Notable examples are:
•Basurama: A creative collective focused on environmental creation, led the interior design and sustainable furniture using upcycled materials.
•Germinando: A non-profit cooperative focused on agroecology and social economy, advised on plant species for the Refuge.
•FUHEM: A non-profit promoting social justice, and sustainability, organized eco-social readings and discussions groups.
•Fábrica de Texturas: A design studio focused on arts and DIY. They ran workshops for senior citizens' and children.
•Ajedrez en el parque: chess teaching community, they set up tournaments and a game corner.
•Madrid City Council through the Vivero Estufas de El Retiro, supplied vegetation for the indoor garden, while public urban camps, toy libraries, and senior centres fostered community connections and intergenerational integration.
•Community organizations connected vulnerable groups, offering expertise and welcoming actions. Senior centres and social inclusion groups (Somos Acogida) encouraged participation, while Repair Café Madrid promoted waste reduction and social connections through repair knowledge.
•CaixaBank and Fundación Reale offered essential financial support.
•The European Climate Foundation advised us and connected with key stakeholders
•Fundación Biodiversidad (Ministry for Ecological Transition), established a partnership to ensure future initiatives at the CBA.
•Collectives contributed their expertise and work, turning the Refuge into a meeting hub for local climate and creative initiatives and sustainable solutions. Notable examples are:
•Basurama: A creative collective focused on environmental creation, led the interior design and sustainable furniture using upcycled materials.
•Germinando: A non-profit cooperative focused on agroecology and social economy, advised on plant species for the Refuge.
•FUHEM: A non-profit promoting social justice, and sustainability, organized eco-social readings and discussions groups.
•Fábrica de Texturas: A design studio focused on arts and DIY. They ran workshops for senior citizens' and children.
•Ajedrez en el parque: chess teaching community, they set up tournaments and a game corner.
Unlike traditional climate spaces focused solely on temperature control, this project integrates climate adaptation with cultural engagement and social inclusion, reimagining cultural institutions as adaptable tools for addressing urban challenges. Key innovative features include:
Framework for paradigm shift: A radical intervention that blurred the lines between cultural institutions, social infrastructure, and climate adaptation, transforming a historic space into a dynamic response to urban challenges.
Architectural subversion: The team approached the ballroom as a malleable ecosystem, using natural elements, repurposed materials, and flexible design to create a dynamic dialogue between heritage, art and modern social needs.
Transforming culture into community strength The Climate Refuge reimagined cultural spaces as tools for social resilience, focusing on heat-vulnerable populations. It turned passive cultural consumption into active community empowerment, allowing diverse groups to access and reshape cultural narratives.
Redefining cultural engagement: We’re accustomed to cultural spaces like museums and theatres where events occur at scheduled times. The Refuge moved beyond consumption, offering a chance to connect with others, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere—without the pressure of a scheduled activity—while seeking refuge in the shade.
Innovation through partnership: Successful multi-stakeholder collaboration, uniting diverse partners from public institutions, cultural associations, community organizations, and the private sector around a shared mission.
Public ethos: It redefined the cultural space by creating a no-consumption zone in a high-demand area, prioritizing accessibility over profit. It offered free, extended access for all in the city centre, fostering a shared sense of ownership and belonging by intentionally blending diverse social groups, from heat-vulnerable populations to tourists.
Framework for paradigm shift: A radical intervention that blurred the lines between cultural institutions, social infrastructure, and climate adaptation, transforming a historic space into a dynamic response to urban challenges.
Architectural subversion: The team approached the ballroom as a malleable ecosystem, using natural elements, repurposed materials, and flexible design to create a dynamic dialogue between heritage, art and modern social needs.
Transforming culture into community strength The Climate Refuge reimagined cultural spaces as tools for social resilience, focusing on heat-vulnerable populations. It turned passive cultural consumption into active community empowerment, allowing diverse groups to access and reshape cultural narratives.
Redefining cultural engagement: We’re accustomed to cultural spaces like museums and theatres where events occur at scheduled times. The Refuge moved beyond consumption, offering a chance to connect with others, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere—without the pressure of a scheduled activity—while seeking refuge in the shade.
Innovation through partnership: Successful multi-stakeholder collaboration, uniting diverse partners from public institutions, cultural associations, community organizations, and the private sector around a shared mission.
Public ethos: It redefined the cultural space by creating a no-consumption zone in a high-demand area, prioritizing accessibility over profit. It offered free, extended access for all in the city centre, fostering a shared sense of ownership and belonging by intentionally blending diverse social groups, from heat-vulnerable populations to tourists.
Unlike traditional climate spaces focused solely on temperature control, this project integrates climate adaptation with cultural engagement and social inclusion, reimagining cultural institutions as adaptable tools for addressing urban challenges. Key innovative features include:
Framework for paradigm shift: A radical intervention that blurred the lines between cultural institutions, social infrastructure, and climate adaptation, transforming a historic space into a dynamic response to urban challenges.
Architectural subversion: The team approached the ballroom as a malleable ecosystem, using natural elements, repurposed materials, and flexible design to create a dynamic dialogue between heritage, art and modern social needs.
Transforming culture into community strength The Climate Refuge reimagined cultural spaces as tools for social resilience, focusing on heat-vulnerable populations. It turned passive cultural consumption into active community empowerment, allowing diverse groups to access and reshape cultural narratives.
Redefining cultural engagement: We’re accustomed to cultural spaces like museums and theatres where events occur at scheduled times. The Refuge moved beyond consumption, offering a chance to connect with others, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere—without the pressure of a scheduled activity—while seeking refuge in the shade.
Innovation through partnership: Successful multi-stakeholder collaboration, uniting diverse partners from public institutions, cultural associations, community organizations, and the private sector around a shared mission.
Public ethos: It redefined the cultural space by creating a no-consumption zone in a high-demand area, prioritizing accessibility over profit. It offered free, extended access for all in the city centre, fostering a shared sense of ownership and belonging by intentionally blending diverse social groups, from heat-vulnerable populations to tourists.
Framework for paradigm shift: A radical intervention that blurred the lines between cultural institutions, social infrastructure, and climate adaptation, transforming a historic space into a dynamic response to urban challenges.
Architectural subversion: The team approached the ballroom as a malleable ecosystem, using natural elements, repurposed materials, and flexible design to create a dynamic dialogue between heritage, art and modern social needs.
Transforming culture into community strength The Climate Refuge reimagined cultural spaces as tools for social resilience, focusing on heat-vulnerable populations. It turned passive cultural consumption into active community empowerment, allowing diverse groups to access and reshape cultural narratives.
Redefining cultural engagement: We’re accustomed to cultural spaces like museums and theatres where events occur at scheduled times. The Refuge moved beyond consumption, offering a chance to connect with others, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere—without the pressure of a scheduled activity—while seeking refuge in the shade.
Innovation through partnership: Successful multi-stakeholder collaboration, uniting diverse partners from public institutions, cultural associations, community organizations, and the private sector around a shared mission.
Public ethos: It redefined the cultural space by creating a no-consumption zone in a high-demand area, prioritizing accessibility over profit. It offered free, extended access for all in the city centre, fostering a shared sense of ownership and belonging by intentionally blending diverse social groups, from heat-vulnerable populations to tourists.
Initial diagnosis: It began with a critical assessment of urban vulnerabilities during extreme heat, identifying specific population groups most at risk: low-income residents, elderly, children, and outdoor workers. This phase mapped the intersections between the potential of cultural spaces, social needs, and climate adaptation strategies.
Design laboratory approach: The team created a dynamic design laboratory inviting collectives, designers and artists to rethink conventional space usage. The ballroom became a living canvas for social and environmental innovation based on upcycling as a design principle, botanical integration and modular design with every element conceived with post-project reusability in mind.
The approach prioritized horizontal participation, creating an open framework where community members actively shaped the space. Neighbours donated plants, local artists contributed installations, visitors were invited to open activities such as reading groups, repair cafés or chess games, and the space was designed with the most vulnerable to heat in mind.
Adaptive programming strategy: Instead of a rigid schedule, the team combined flexibility with structured programming, allowing activities to emerge organically alongside planned events—spontaneous chess tournaments next to creative workshops, family storytelling beside repair cafés, casual conversations alongside reading clubs—generating unexpected cross-pollinations of knowledge and experience.
Evaluation: Success wasn't measured just by visitor numbers, but by qualitative transformations: depth of community interaction, emergence of new social connections, ongoing collaborations, recognition within the ICC sector, and the collective ownership of the Refuge as a community space.
This methodology represented more than a project, it was a live experiment in reimagining cultural infrastructure as responsive, inclusive, and ecologically intelligent social technology.
Design laboratory approach: The team created a dynamic design laboratory inviting collectives, designers and artists to rethink conventional space usage. The ballroom became a living canvas for social and environmental innovation based on upcycling as a design principle, botanical integration and modular design with every element conceived with post-project reusability in mind.
The approach prioritized horizontal participation, creating an open framework where community members actively shaped the space. Neighbours donated plants, local artists contributed installations, visitors were invited to open activities such as reading groups, repair cafés or chess games, and the space was designed with the most vulnerable to heat in mind.
Adaptive programming strategy: Instead of a rigid schedule, the team combined flexibility with structured programming, allowing activities to emerge organically alongside planned events—spontaneous chess tournaments next to creative workshops, family storytelling beside repair cafés, casual conversations alongside reading clubs—generating unexpected cross-pollinations of knowledge and experience.
Evaluation: Success wasn't measured just by visitor numbers, but by qualitative transformations: depth of community interaction, emergence of new social connections, ongoing collaborations, recognition within the ICC sector, and the collective ownership of the Refuge as a community space.
This methodology represented more than a project, it was a live experiment in reimagining cultural infrastructure as responsive, inclusive, and ecologically intelligent social technology.
The Climate Refuge's transferable framework centres on reimagining public service through radical openness and adaptability. Its ethos was to be an urban plaza where people can simply be, not just consume—a shift in how cultural institutions engage with communities. This model can be applied to various urban settings and institutions, with cultural spaces uniquely positioned, with their existing infrastructure, to evolve into accessible community hubs beyond traditional events.
Importantly, the initial outreach deliberately focuses on attracting groups who might typically feel excluded from cultural spaces and those already involved on climate action and engagement. Some easily replicable solutions include:
•Transformative reuse: We repurposed old school furniture, but the approach can be adapted to any context—converting discarded office furniture, unused public benches, or donated household items into functional, comfortable spaces that carry stories and reduce waste.
•Community-sourced: A simple invitation for residents to bring plants during holidays transformed an empty space into a vibrant, collective garden. This low-barrier entry point for participation not only beautified the space but fostered ownership.
•Local creative partnerships: Our collaboration with artists, collectives, and art students kept the space dynamic. Similar partnerships can be established in any context by connecting with nearby educational institutions, artist studios, or community groups.
•Public local resource activation: By tapping into the municipal plant nursery we demonstrated how underutilized public resources can be redirected to serve community needs. Similar institutions exist in most cities—from parks departments to public workshops—that may welcome collaborations.
•Co-Design: The community involvement model fosters a sense of ownership and shared purpose.
Importantly, the initial outreach deliberately focuses on attracting groups who might typically feel excluded from cultural spaces and those already involved on climate action and engagement. Some easily replicable solutions include:
•Transformative reuse: We repurposed old school furniture, but the approach can be adapted to any context—converting discarded office furniture, unused public benches, or donated household items into functional, comfortable spaces that carry stories and reduce waste.
•Community-sourced: A simple invitation for residents to bring plants during holidays transformed an empty space into a vibrant, collective garden. This low-barrier entry point for participation not only beautified the space but fostered ownership.
•Local creative partnerships: Our collaboration with artists, collectives, and art students kept the space dynamic. Similar partnerships can be established in any context by connecting with nearby educational institutions, artist studios, or community groups.
•Public local resource activation: By tapping into the municipal plant nursery we demonstrated how underutilized public resources can be redirected to serve community needs. Similar institutions exist in most cities—from parks departments to public workshops—that may welcome collaborations.
•Co-Design: The community involvement model fosters a sense of ownership and shared purpose.
Urban heat island and vulnerability. The increase in heatwaves is one of the most alarming effects of climate change, with cities, especially due to the urban heat island effect, being particularly vulnerable. Madrid is one of the European cities most affected, where record temperatures are becoming more common. As climate change worsens, the link between economic vulnerability and thermal stress becomes clearer, disproportionately impacting those with fewer resources. Our approach provides critical support during climate-related emergencies, particularly for heat-vulnerable populations. By offering safe space and networks that transcend demographic boundaries, we directly contribute to community well-being, and collective problem-solving.
Cultural Equity. Our project directly addresses barriers to cultural participation by creating an inclusive space for heat-vulnerable communities. By removing economic constraints, designing a welcoming environment and foster participation, we challenge systemic inequalities and offer meaningful opportunities for local vulnerable groups to engage. Through adaptive redesign, we invite citizens to use the space freely demonstrating how cultural organizations can become vital public resources.
Adapting to climate change: Embodying circular economy principles, we redesign a space through resource-efficient strategies. By repurposing furniture, integrating local solutions, and encouraging community participation, we showcase how cultural spaces on urban context can be transformed with minimal environmental impact, developing micro-solutions that address climate vulnerability. By redesigning our institution as an adaptive, responsive infrastructure, we demonstrate how to bridge artistic expression, environmental consciousness, and social innovation. Through creative interventions, we translated complex environmental challenges into tangible, relatable experiences.
Cultural Equity. Our project directly addresses barriers to cultural participation by creating an inclusive space for heat-vulnerable communities. By removing economic constraints, designing a welcoming environment and foster participation, we challenge systemic inequalities and offer meaningful opportunities for local vulnerable groups to engage. Through adaptive redesign, we invite citizens to use the space freely demonstrating how cultural organizations can become vital public resources.
Adapting to climate change: Embodying circular economy principles, we redesign a space through resource-efficient strategies. By repurposing furniture, integrating local solutions, and encouraging community participation, we showcase how cultural spaces on urban context can be transformed with minimal environmental impact, developing micro-solutions that address climate vulnerability. By redesigning our institution as an adaptive, responsive infrastructure, we demonstrate how to bridge artistic expression, environmental consciousness, and social innovation. Through creative interventions, we translated complex environmental challenges into tangible, relatable experiences.
Outputs: The primary output was the transformation of an 800m² historic ballroom into a multifunctional cooling space, featuring over 30 repurposed furniture pieces, 3 large wooden planters, a community garden with 450+ plants contributed by residents and public nursery, several distinct functional zones (reading, coworking, play, rest, and social areas), and an artistic sound installation by artist Sayaka Fujio. The space maintained a consistent 26°C temperature and remained open daily from 11am to 9pm, accumulating 500+ operational hours.
Results: The space welcomed 45,000 visitors over 8 weeks. Temperature measurements showed a consistent 8-14°C difference between the interior and exterior during peak heat waves. The project facilitated 30+ art and environmental activities for 500+ participants, and 9 workshops for 300+ vulnerable kids and seniors, while establishing formal partnerships with 5 local urban camps, 4 senior residencies and +5 local associations. Throughout the design and implementation, the CBA collaborated with 10+ local collectives, many of which have continued into the year programming and next summer’s initiative.
Impacts: The CBA made sustainability a key priority, focusing on it for their 2024 autumn/winter programming and securing a partnership with Fundación Biodiversidad (Ministry for Ecological Transition) for future initiatives. The project achieved exceptional visibility, reaching 480,000+ on social platforms, receiving media coverage alongside major exhibitions. It inspired other Madrid cultural institutions to develop similar projects, and the Spanish Observatory of Culture recognized it as one of the top 10 projects for social and sustainable development in their annual report featuring 450+ cultural professionals.
The Climate Refuge will return to the CBA in summer 2025 with a new sustainable art installation, cementing its role as a key community hub and model for cultural institutions leading urban climate resilience.
Results: The space welcomed 45,000 visitors over 8 weeks. Temperature measurements showed a consistent 8-14°C difference between the interior and exterior during peak heat waves. The project facilitated 30+ art and environmental activities for 500+ participants, and 9 workshops for 300+ vulnerable kids and seniors, while establishing formal partnerships with 5 local urban camps, 4 senior residencies and +5 local associations. Throughout the design and implementation, the CBA collaborated with 10+ local collectives, many of which have continued into the year programming and next summer’s initiative.
Impacts: The CBA made sustainability a key priority, focusing on it for their 2024 autumn/winter programming and securing a partnership with Fundación Biodiversidad (Ministry for Ecological Transition) for future initiatives. The project achieved exceptional visibility, reaching 480,000+ on social platforms, receiving media coverage alongside major exhibitions. It inspired other Madrid cultural institutions to develop similar projects, and the Spanish Observatory of Culture recognized it as one of the top 10 projects for social and sustainable development in their annual report featuring 450+ cultural professionals.
The Climate Refuge will return to the CBA in summer 2025 with a new sustainable art installation, cementing its role as a key community hub and model for cultural institutions leading urban climate resilience.
