The unification of Palau Nacional and Palau Victòria Eugènia as the new National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) offers a unique opportunity to create an integrated cultural destination, uniting architectural heritage, artistic collections and contemporary museological vision.

Situated at different levels of Montjuïc, the two palaces are connected through a sensitive intervention that respects their historic identities and protected surroundings. At Palau Victòria Eugènia, a new civic threshold opens the museum to Plaça Carles Buïgas, blurring the boundary between city and museum.

At the heart of the proposal, an underground vaulted gallery—the Naós—transcends the conventional passageway, creating an evocative exhibition space inspired by Catalan Romanesque architecture. Acting as a cultural and spatial hinge, it connects the Modern Art collection with the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque collections housed in Palau Nacional.

A timeless architectural language, rooted in local materials such as brick, concrete and terrazzo, establishes a dialogue between past and present, while geothermal energy reinforces the project’s environmental ambition.

The reorganisation of the collections enables curatorial flexibility, efficient artwork circulation and future expansion. Through this holistic vision, the new MNAC aspires to celebrate Catalonia’s artistic identity, honouring its heritage while creating new possibilities for its interpretation and appreciation by future generations.

DATA
Client: MNAC
Use: Museum
Bldg. Area: 19,500 m²
Budget: €90 Million
Status: Restricted International Design Competition

CREDITS
Architect: FRADE ARQUITECTOS + LUCA POIAN FORMS
Images: DRAWFIELD