The noble title “Duke of Berwick”, (linked to the Berwick-in-Tweed in England), is recognised in Europe but not in England. Created in 1687 for James Fitz-James Stuart, the illegitimate son of King James II and Arabella Churchill, the title was considered to have been forfeited in 1695 by the English Parliament after the forced exile of his Jacobite father. However, while the title may not exist today in England, it still survives in Spain.
The 3rd Duke of Berwick, Don Jacobo Francisco Eduardo Fitz-James Stuart y Colón de Portugal, ( 1718 – 1785), who was also through his mother a direct descendent of Christopher Columbus, owned land in Madrid on which the Cuartel del Conde Duque, barracks for the elite Royal Guard, was developed between 1717 and 1730 to designs of Pedro de Ribera for more than 600 men and 400 horses. Today, restored and refurbished with contemporary additions, the historic complex survives despite fires in the late 19th century that almost resulted in its demolition.
The largest building in Madrid after the old Alcázar, which was itself destroyed by fire and rebuilt as the Palacio Real, the City of Madrid has restored and opened up the structure and inserted well-designed contemporary additions: services, staircases, lifts and toilets to designs of architects Carlos de Riaño Lozano.
Opened in 2011, the complex aims to engender cultural interaction with multi-use spaces and venues including a concert hall, theatre and gallery spaces within the interior courtyards that contrast with the somber exterior, enlivened only by the elaborate baroque main gateway. In addition, the complex now houses Madrid’s historical archives, newspaper. music and video libraries and the Gallery of Contemporary art, while the courtyards are used for summer concerts.
The architects have created a common language across the complex. Original brick and stonework has been cleaned down and restored, later alterations removed and new additions provided as contemporary contrasting geometric shapes painted in white with interior finishes in natural wood and metal.
The new Museum of Contemporary Art focusses on work by artists from Madrid and elsewhere in Spain, while at the present time other exhibitions include “To the Gates of Paradise!” – a “Photographic Essay on the Migrant, the Nomad, the exile, the Refugee, the Stateless,,,” an exploration of how photographers and emigrants have come together, and the “Portable Museum” which combines objects from the study of the writer Ramon Gomez de la Serna (1888-1963) with artworks from the Museum’s own collection to create a “museum within the museum” that reflects on the objects and images that influenced his writing, which Ramon collected on his travels and from the famous El Rastro flea-market in Madrid.
This well designed and well detailed conversion combines contemporary new additions with the restored historic structure to provides an excellent backcloth for contemporary art and other cultural activities.
