Madrid's Serrería Belga to House Pérez Simón Collection Foundation

The Madrid city council will lease the Serrería Belga cultural center to the Fundación Colección Pérez Simón for 50 years. The foundation will fully finance the building's renovation, starting this year and expected to conclude in under 18 months. The architectural project is by Langarita Navarro, who previously rehabilitated the building, winning the 2013 Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism Award. The foundation's goal is to create a meeting place between art and people, past and future, in Madrid. Juan Antonio Pérez Simón, born in Asturias in 1941 and emigrated to Mexico at age five, began his collection in 1964 after a trip to Europe. His collection now includes over 4,000 works of painting, sculpture, drawing, manuscripts, and decorative arts, plus a library of over 50,000 volumes, making it one of the world's most significant private collections. Architect María Langarita explained the proposal will reorganize exhibition spaces, improve visitor routes, and modernize technical installations while preserving architectural and historical values. The ground floor will become an urban living room connecting the center with the city, the Plaza de las Letras, and surrounding streets. The plaza will undergo comprehensive renovation for accessibility and public use, including ramps, planters, seating, and terraces. Streets Cenicero and Almadén will be pedestrianized with new paving, vegetation, furniture, lighting, and signage.