European slaughterhouses reborn as cultural hubs: from Milan to Porto
Across Europe, former slaughterhouses are being repurposed into cultural hubs. In Milan, the ex-macello on viale Molise hosted Alcova during Milan Design Week 2023 and is set for a carbon-negative redevelopment named ARIA, designed by Snøhetta and collaborators. This project will preserve 15% of the original structures while introducing 35% new residential space and facilities for IED Milano. In Cagliari, the EXMA center, established in 1993 within an 1845 slaughterhouse, is looking for new management. Madrid's Matadero, which opened in 1924, is commemorating its centenary until November 17, 2024. Meanwhile, Toulouse's Les Abattoirs, inaugurated in 2000, combines a contemporary art museum with 4,000 artworks, and Porto's Matadouro Industrial is being transformed into M-ODU, expected to finish by 2026.
Key facts
- Milan's ex-macello hosted Alcova during Milan Design Week 2023
- ARIA project in Milan aims to be the first carbon-negative area in the city
- Cagliari's EXMA opened on October 16, 1993
- Madrid's Matadero celebrates 100 years until November 17, 2024
- Matadero de Madrid won the Mies van der Rohe Award for Emerging Architect
- Fundación Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Madrid planned a space in Nave 9 designed by David Adjaye
- Les Abattoirs Toulouse opened in 2000, merging three institutions
- Porto's M-ODU project started in December 2022, with completion expected by 2026
Entities
Artists
- Valentina Ciuffi
- Joseph Grima
- Libero Cecchini
- Arturo Gentili Spinola
- Luis Bellido
- José Antonio García Roldán
- Mario Gas
- Jean Guy Lecat
- Francisco Fontanals
- Emilio Esteras
- Ginés Garrido
- Carlos Rubio
- Fernando Porras
- David Adjaye
- Arturo Franco
- Urbain Vitry
- Kengo Kuma
- Monteiro de Andrade
Institutions
- Alcova
- Studio Vedèt
- Space Caviar
- Comune di Milano
- Reinventing Cities
- Redo Sgr
- Fondo Immobiliare Lombardia Comparto Uno (FIL1)
- CA Ventures
- E.ON
- Deltaecopolis
- CCL
- Snøhetta
- Barreca & La Varra
- Stantec
- CZA Cino Zucchi Architetti
- Chapman Taylor Architetti
- Mpartner
- Fondazione Housing Sociale
- IED Milano
- EXMA – Exhibiting an Moving Arts
- Comune di Cagliari
- Matadero Madrid
- Ayuntamiento de Madrid
- Mercamadrid
- Central de Diseño
- Fundación Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Madrid
- Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
- Adjaye Associates
- Les Abattoirs
- FRAC Occitanie
- Musée de France
- AARP – Atelier Architecture Rémi PAPILLAULT
- CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian
- Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
- Kengo Kuma & Associates
- OODA
- Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture
- Mota-Engil Real Estate Portugal
- M-ODU (Matadouro Outro Destino Urbano)
- Museu da Convergência
- Galeria Municipal do Porto
- Collezione Távora Sequeira Pinto
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- viale Molise
- Calvairate
- Cagliari
- Villanova
- Madrid
- Spain
- Toulouse
- France
- Occitania
- Saint-Cyprien
- Porto
- Portugal
- Campanhã
- Lisbon
- Garonna
- Playa
- Via Po