The Madrid headquarters of the Fundación María Cristina Masaveu Peterson are housed in a refurbished building: a former palace that was later converted into a hotel.

The refurbishment  (2015−18), carried out under the direction of architects Rafael Masaveu and Carolina Compostizo, was based on the following guidelines:

• Maximum respect for the original volumes of the building and the listed elements (façade and staircase).
• Adaptation of the spaces for the purposes of the Fundación.
• Use of premium quality materials and finishes especially linked to the industrial development of the Masaveu Corporation. Exposed concrete and tropical woods (harvested using sustainable and officially certified methods) are an essential part of the building’s interior and exterior finishes.

The FMCMP building respects the original volumes: two adjacent constructions arranged around a central courtyard.

The original building displayed the simple, harmonious and well-proportioned forms characteristic of Madrid Neoclassical palatial architecture. Its grade 3 heritage listing conditioned the project and made it necessary, among other aspects, to preserve elements that enjoyed special protection such as the staircase and main façade.

All the refurbished elements were designed using a contemporary formal language according to functional criteria that lend prominence to the materials.

Its 2,000 square metres, distributed on three floors, are divided between multipurpose rooms, an auditorium, service areas, courtyards and terraces.

Environmental commitment is essential to the FMCMP, as evidenced by its implementation of a new line of research aimed at fostering the industrial production of cement in a more environmentally respectful manner.

The FMCMP building in Madrid has been awarded grade B energy efficiency certificate that reflects its status as a sustainable building – a rating that is difficult to obtain for refurbished buildings.