MUSAC - Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla and León

The museum as a creative engine of innovation.
For several years now, the historical region of Castilla-León, the royal center of medieval Spain, has been undergoing a noticeable modernization shift. This economically lagging region does not want to rely solely on its churches, cathedrals, and noble palaces. Madrid architect Luis Mansilla shares this view:
“Castilla-León is the region with the lowest population density in all of Europe. In this region heavily influenced by agriculture, there are only two million inhabitants spread over 1200 square kilometers. This region must seek its future; it needs a collective identity and a certain optimism.”
Mansilla is referring to the Museum of Contemporary Castilian Art in León, abbreviated as MUSAC. Luis Mansilla and Emilio Tuñon did not just build MUSAC; they brought modern architecture to León. In 2001, they constructed a concert hall on the outskirts of the old town.
Mansilla and Tuñon are currently serving on the jury for the congress center in León. Idols of the international architectural scene, stars who have already divided the most lucrative projects among themselves in Spain, were invited to the competition. Agustín Pérez Rubio, the chief curator of MUSAC, believes that León's modernization is absolutely necessary:
“For a long time, no one cared about the contemporary in León. People were used to coming to see the temples, altars, and paintings, but they had no interest in any videos, installations, or performances. But all this is part of cultural development.”
Madrid architects have long thought about how to create a connection with the medieval image of the city. How can modernity reconcile with tradition? Luis Mansilla:
“The cathedral is one of the most significant parts of the city. That is why we digitized the colors of the cathedral's windows. This created the colorful facade of the museum, which acts like a public square. We mean this symbolically, of course: The facade shows a connection with the earlier world, achieved with the help of the computer age.”
Mansilla and Tuñon analyzed a total of 3351 glass mosaics from the windows of the cathedral's nave. They digitally translated the obtained color palette onto the front glass facade of MUSAC. Visitors now standing in the courtyard in front of the museum are enchanted by the massive sea of colors. These color variations change to gray towards the surrounding residents and suburbs. Pérez Rubio:
“For the people of León, the museum has become an icon. It is comparable to the cathedral in the city and Gaudí's palace. During the opening, 20,000 people attended."
Luis Mansilla was excited about this unofficial opening celebration of MUSAC. City children flocked in droves, creating their own image of the cultural center. The result of this grand event is countless images hanging everywhere on the walls and floor of the museum.
“In this space, people can come every day and interact with art. They find it very charming when an artistic event is created with the participation of 7000 children. For me, MUSAC has achieved its goal.”
Luis Mansilla is also enthusiastic about MUSAC's architecture. From the outside, this vast museum landscape appears like a rippling sea. This impression comes from the tower skylights, constantly observed as the roof structure bounces up and down. In the floor plans, one also recognizes the waves on the water.
Mansilla was inspired by the meanders of the Duero River for this idea of intricately arranged spatial sequences. The spatial unit consists of a rectangular block and a diamond-shaped (rhombus) space, with each spatial section allowing different viewpoints into other rooms, atriums, skylights, and courtyards. The construction looks playful, but in reality, it is governed by one strict system:
“We could explain the museum to twelve people in twelve different ways. It's like chess: The rules are strict, but there are infinite possibilities for playing. That is where creativity arises.”
Agustin Pérez Rubio also bets on creativity and the modern expression of the cultural center. He prefers to speak of a "museum for the 21st century." The funding for the construction and extensive collections comes exclusively from the budget of the Castilla y León government. The museum plans to introduce 700 works of the international avant-garde to the public before its official opening in May.
Whether the concept truly works and if the museum with a usable area of 21,000 m² and an exhibition area of 3,400 m² will indeed pay off for León, or if tourists from the cathedral, pantheon, and basilica will soon also flock to avant-garde art exhibitions, remains to be seen. One might be betting too much on quantity rather than quality. However, Pérez Rubio still believes:
“The museum has a high reputation also due to its architectural qualities. We are working on the transition from the present. The collection includes works from the 1990s up to the immediate present.”