CRA – Center for Artistic Residencies at Matadero Madrid by BURR Studio

Transforming Space for Creativity: A Modular Residency Hub in Madrid

In the heart of Matadero Madrid, a former slaughterhouse turned contemporary art center, BURR Studio introduces an adaptable architectural intervention known as the CRA (Center for Artistic Residencies). This 2,000-square-meter project reimagines one of the expansive warehouses into a flexible, collaborative environment designed to support artists-in-residence with an architecture that is both responsive and non-intrusive.

Drawing inspiration from Céline Condorelli’s “Support Structures Manifesto”, the CRA embraces architecture not as a finished object but as an enabler of social processes, relationships, and creative practice. It offers a new spatial typology for artist residencies, placing emphasis on modularity, impermanence, and user-centric design.

A Spatial System of Support and Autonomy

The CRA project consists of a series of modular and reconfigurable elements that transform the warehouse into a multifunctional artistic environment. Each element is designed to address specific residency needs—privacy, shared community space, storage, workshops, and presentations.

At the core of the spatial organization are large, freestanding storage structures shaped like “+”, “T”, and “L” forms. These create independent yet equal quadrants, giving each of the four resident artists their own defined work area. Each module features dedicated lighting, built-in storage, and acoustic buffering—promoting focused, self-directed artistic production within a shared framework.

Despite their individuality, these quadrants are arranged in such a way that they all face and connect to a central common space—a more communal, semi-private zone shielded from external views. This organizational approach fosters both collaborative dialogue and individual reflection, offering artists autonomy without isolating them.

Temporary Architecture as Intentional Design

The intervention avoids permanence in both material and form. It employs lightweight materials like stretched tarpaulins, aluminum structures, and textile barriers to define space without heavy architectural imposition. This deliberate ephemerality underscores BURR Studio’s intention to serve—not dominate—the artistic process.

A mobile semicircular aluminum structure with a curtain acts as a presentation space or meeting backdrop. It can be repositioned easily, allowing for spontaneous gatherings or formal showcases. Meanwhile, additional workspaces and storage areas are separated from the rest by translucent textile walls—offering visual permeability while subtly delineating functions.

The entire intervention is conceived as a support system—neutral in its materiality, democratic in its spatial distribution, and dynamic in its adaptability.

Architecture That Supports, Not Distracts

By choosing a language of neutrality and temporality, BURR Studio avoids the pitfalls of over-design. The structures within the CRA are intentionally restrained, allowing the residents' work to take visual and conceptual precedence. The architecture positions itself as a facilitator, never a spectacle—demonstrating how thoughtful spatial design can empower artistic practice through subtlety and flexibility.

A New Paradigm for Artistic Residency Design

The CRA at Matadero Madrid is more than a temporary installation; it’s a prototype for collaborative creative environments. BURR Studio challenges conventional approaches to artist residencies by focusing on support, adaptability, and cohabitation. Through a sensitive balance between public and private, rigid and flexible, temporary and structured, the CRA sets a precedent for future residency and cultural production spaces around the world.