In the heart of Madrid, next to the Royal Palace, a completely renovated space now rises, redefining the way citizens interact with their urban landscape: Plaza de España. The remodeling project, carried out by the UTE Plaza España (FCC–PACSA) and designed by architects Lorenzo Fernández-Ordóñez, Aránzazu La Casta, and Fernando Porras-Isla, has been recognized as one of the most significant urban interventions in the capital over the past decade.
The challenge was considerable: it involved restoring an iconic location in the historic center, improving its connection with surrounding neighborhoods, transforming mobility, and at the same time providing Madrid residents with a green, sustainable, and open public space.
Granite as the Foundation of Transformation
The scale of the project is evident in the more than 1,000 cut pieces required to shape all the granite solutions that define the new life of the square. Granite becomes the true guiding thread of the work: it is present in the pavements, benches, fountains, and every detail where solidity, aesthetics, and durability were indispensable.
Granilouro supplied different stone varieties that harmonize with each other: Gris Louro, Silvestre Louro, and Silvestre Mar, tones that impart character, strength, and visual unity to the project.
Plaza in Detail
The unique pavement was designed with innovative large triangular tiles, whose precise cutting and placement create a visual dynamism that breaks the monotony of traditional linear patterns. Urban furniture includes monumental benches that also function as planters, allowing nature to be directly integrated into the everyday interactions of citizens. Many pieces were carefully carved to accommodate wooden backs and seats, achieving a warm balance between natural and stone elements.
The perimeter curbs of the fountains were crafted with molded profiles faithfully following the architects’ sketches, and each section required high-precision stonemasonry to achieve an authentic and elegant finish. Copings, bands, imposts, cornices, and custom stereotomic pieces complete the rich catalog of solutions, where stone is not merely a construction material but an architectural language capable of addressing both ornamental and structural needs.
A Space for the City and Collective Memory
Today, Plaza de España is greener, more walkable, and more open. Over 1,000 trees have been planted, pedestrian areas have been doubled, and sustainable mobility has been prioritized, creating a space where granite, with all its mineral strength and aesthetic versatility, ensures the durability of this transformation.
The project not only redefines the urban experience for Madrid residents but also demonstrates how granite can serve contemporary architecture as a material of the future: solid, sustainable, and timeless in its aesthetic appeal.
Granilouro is proud to have provided the stone that supports, beautifies, and shapes this new heritage landmark in the capital, because every square, every bench, and every granite slab is simultaneously infrastructure, design, and urban memory.
