Fourth tallest building in Madrid now owned by a Filipino

 A structure in Spain, which ruled the Philippines for over 300 years, has been named after a Filipino-related roots.

The Philippine flag is proudly displayed on one of Madrid's four skyscrapers, which is also the country's fourth-tallest building.

The Torre Espacio, now known as Torre Emperador Castellana, is a 57-story Madrid skyscraper that was purchased for over 560 million euros by Filipino entrepreneur Andrew Tan's Grupo Emperador.  

Torre Emperador Castellana

The Torre Espacio in Madrid was Spain's tallest skyscraper when it was completed in 2007. It stands alongside Manila's Grand Riviera Suites and Pasig City's Royalton at Capitol Commons at 230 meters. Torre Espacio was the city's highest structure for over a month. Then Torre de Cristal overtook it a month later.

Only a few weeks ago, the building was renamed Torre Emperador Castellana, after the famed brandy made by billionaire Andrew Tan's Alliance Global Group.

The corporate headquarters of Tan's Spanish liquor company, Emperador, is located in the Cuatro Torres Business Area, one of Madrid's most sophisticated and attractive commercial real estate locations.

Torre Emperador has a leasable area of 60,142 square meters. Among the building's occupants are the embassies of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, as well as the Spanish Banking Association and global infrastructure giant OHLA.

 Let’s talk about its design!

The Torre Espacio is situated on Madrid's most important road and has a fantastic location. It contains 43 levels of office space, two corporate floors at the top, three commercial floors at the bottom, and six levels of parking in the basement. In addition to providing efficient and appealing office space, Torre Espacio is designed to enliven the location in which it stands and energize the Madrid skyline.

The tower was designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP, with Henry N. Cobb as the designer, José Bruguera as associate partner (project architect), and Reid Fenwick Asociados as associate architect.

The shape of the skyscraper evolves from a square foundation to a gently curved lozenge at the top, sculpted by the intersection of two quarter-circles. A figure like this might readily be carved out of a solid block of stone if it were a sculpture. As an architectural work, however, its crossing curved surfaces must be made up of many separate panels, each of which must be created and assembled separately.

While the cosine curve makes curtain wall manufacturing and installation easier, its rate of curvature is not constant and varies gradually throughout its length. The finished tower form has a distinct and visually appealing feeling of energy as a result of this.

Cool ceilings are also incorporated in the design, with a radiant grid of chilled water looped above the perforated metal ceiling panels to provide cooling without drafts and increase office comfort.

If you're planning a vacation to Madrid, make sure to see this building!