2010 American Culture Center

This project is located in Madrid, Spain. Due to its site in a residential environment the program has split vertically opening up a public plaza space in the middle. The space is sandwiched between a gallery space above and auditorium space below. The center has a grand staircase that provides the main vertical circulation. Connected to the center also is a restaurant and a small cafe shop located above it.

But this project has brought up an interesting question, how can we depict cultural aspects in a buidling? (I don't believe red brick and American flags are enough...)

"Another designer can figure out connections after being lectured about it, but how do we achieve the same understanding for people outside the field when were not there to talk about it?"