Voces del Prado

The new expansion: The Prado Campus

Rafael Moneo Vallés, Trustee and architect of the Jerónimos extension, 1994-What's on

In the same way as the adjacent linking of the Villanueva and Jerónimos Buildings has enabled Velázquez and Goya to remain under the same roof, the idea that you still find yourself in the city when you have to go to the Casón or you have to go tomorrow to the Salón de Reinos (“Hall of Realms”) is really great. If the Prado should one day permit itself the luxury of also opening the Velázquez Door and placing visitors closer to the Paseo del Prado that would be even better. In this respect, there is no reason to think that, in terms of effectiveness, everything has to be connected by means of basements, which can sometimes be quite unpleasant. I think it is a pleasant idea, whatever the ultimate purpose of the Hall of Realms might be in terms of the works it houses – whether the battles should be presented there or it should be set aside for temporary exhibitions of a different kind to those of Los Jerónimos – that visitors to the Museum should break their visit for a moment and take a rest by going out into the street, before changing register. I think that’s a very good solution. That’s to say, I don’t see the Campus as an inconvenience; quite the contrary in fact. I see it as a proposal that the Museum makes to see it integrated at a scale more in accordance with the scale of the complex, and not as one immense building. This dispersed appeal offered by the Campus will provide a much clearer and more agreeable sense of orientation to visitors, one that is more in touch with the activity itself. The idea is simply to facilitate the connections a little and to provide a sign-posting system that helps visitors to navigate the streets without erring. It’s a big task.