The Nave O project is a design proposal that was born out of a need and an ambition: to provide Madrid with a centre of reference for the LGTBIQ+ community.

The main challenge in the design of Nave O consisted in the creation of several spaces interconnected by a nucleus of meeting and dialogue, under the industrial structure of building number 16 of the Matadero. Five spaces were created: a cafeteria, a library, an auditorium, multi-purpose rooms and offices.

The inspiration for the design of these spaces came from the camp aesthetic and its connection with art, fashion, architecture and music. Each of these spaces had to be faithful to camp and, at the same time, connect aesthetically and spatially with each other.
To achieve this integration of camp in all the spaces, a geometric floor plan was created, applying original materials and colours. The contrast of tile with concrete, metal and wood defies conventional uses and ‘the expected’, advocating for surprise and imagination.

Each space of the ensemble, from its interior and exterior, is an aesthetic statement where the conventional uses of geometry, materiality and colour are challenged.

With some differences between the spaces, the intention of the design is to produce atmospheres of conscious artificiality and emotion. The strong colours, the brightness of the materials, the seemingly non-topical forms convey the strength and contested value of LGTBIQ+ culture and its genealogical legacy. This same atmosphere is also replicated in the central square, which acts as an open connector of all the spaces, inviting socialising, fun and celebration of the people who visit it.