Placed in the political and cultural center of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the former Post and Telegraph Palace, a highly valued heritage and historical building will be transformed into the Centro Cultural del Bicentenario.
First prize in an international competition, this Project mixes avant-garde architectural programs with meticulous restoration work. Concert halls, exhibitions rooms, auditoriums, the Centro Cultural del Bicentenario with more than 100 thousand square meters of surface will become one of the biggest cultural centers worldwide.

The Post and Telegraph Palace was originally designed to host the Argentinean Central Post Office, by French architect Norbert Maillart. The development of new communication tools during the 20th century affected traditional postal traffic. As a result, the building is nowadays inappropriate and oversized for present requirements.

Placed between the historic center and next to the recently converted dock district of Puerto Madero, the Post and Telegraph Palace stands in one of the most emblematic areas, downtown Buenos Aires. This project intends to use the new Cultural Center as a central piece to transform the area into a cultural-oriented hub.

The ground floor is a wide open space. Functioning as a sort of cultural corridor, this opening will make the building become a vibrant, permeable, full-of-life space. An organized system of public squares, in different levels, links the new cultural programs with the most significant areas of the historic building.

The project involves mainly two types of operations: the restoration of the historic building, listed as a National Historic Monument that will produce a contrast with the contemporary architectural programs. The facades and the noble areas inside the building are entirely refurbished whereas the industrial area is partially emptied to house the new architectural programs. The recovering of the main dome of the Palace transforms a residual room in one of the most emblematic points of the Centro Cultural del Bicentenario. Besides serving for cultural activities, this new place will become a symbol of national civic space.