MADMi consists of the adaptive reuse of the former Méndez-Bagur Residence into a new Art and Design Museum. The original French Neoclassical house was built in 1914 as the main residence for Luis Méndez and María Bagur, a prominent Puerto Rican couple. After visiting Paris, the couple had their home built following the design of one of the prototypes published in a French book titled Nouvelles Maisons de Campagne, which depicted plans and facades of a variety of country house style designs, popular in Paris at the time.
The architectural design creates a link between past and present by preserving the shell of the original house and adapting its previously dilapidated interior into modern gallery spaces for art exhibitions of local artists and for the family’s private collection, including art, furniture and memorabilia. The annex building is a minimalist structure consisting of a glass pavilion, a reinforced concrete module, and a glass connector to the existing house, which acts as the main entry to the museum. The concrete module holds the service and circulation spaces, as well as a multi-use learning room on the second level. The pavilion is a modern flexible space, which flows into an outdoor terrace, ideal for a variety of civic and social functions.