MACAM, Lisbon: hotel-gallery fusion updates adaptive reuse to impressive effect

There is no shortage of palaces in Lisbon, nor a lack of boutique hotels or contemporary art galleries. What the city has lacked until now, it turns out, is a project merging these typologies. 

The newly opened MACAM (Museu de Arte Contemporânea Armando Martins) is a rare hybrid – part hotel, part museum – yet achieves a cohesive architectural narrative out of these diverse functions, while also retaining and respecting its intricate layers of history.

Commissioned by industrialist and art collector Armando Martins to display his sizeable modern art collection, gathered over five decades, MACAM occupies and expands the Palácio dos Condes da Ribeira Grande, an 18th-century mansion in the Junqueira district, known for its elegant riverside villas and proximity to cultural landmarks. The entire project has been overseen by Lisbon-based studio Metro Urbe, led by architects João Pedras and Hélder da Silva Cordeiro. 

The L-shaped contemporary extension accommodates MACAM’s temporary exhibition spaces in its main structure, with hotel rooms, restaurant and services in its linking element. The original palace – previously empty and much altered, having been a school for many years, and purchased by Martins in 2006 – now hosts the main hotel amenities, public areas, and the collection galleries. Situated on land that was formerly part of the palace gardens, the extension is deftly integrated into this handsome context.

Precedent-setting merger of history, art and hospitality

No clear precedent existed for such a merger of a Baroque palace, contemporary art space and hotel accommodation under one roof, yet the benefits are clear. The museum adds cultural resonance for guests, while revenue from the hotel supports both the private museum’s operations and the preservation of its historic fabric. 

Positioned within Lisbon’s western riverside corridor – home to sites such as the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) and the Royal Treasury Museum – this combined offer also strengthens the wider neighbourhood’s cultural offer, luring both residents and visitors away from the city centre.

In practical terms, the challenge of combining a contemporary art museum and a boutique hotel demanded a layout that could accommodate very different demands without conflict – hospitality spaces depend on unobstructed circulation and comfort, while a museum requires strict climate, lighting and security protocols. To achieve this, the architects choreographed the project’s circulation with care, ensuring that hotel guests could easily move through display areas en route to rooftop facilities, and, conversely, ensuring peace for hotel guests as gallery visitors pass through dedicated exhibition spaces. Reserved corridors for museum staff, advanced climate controls and security systems all help safeguard the artworks.

From the outset, the design team focused on achieving a balance between the preservation of historical fabric and the introduction of modern facilities. Although the site had seen numerous alterations over time, key elements remained, including a grand staircase, a chapel and a main reception hall that now serves as a library. 

Rather than treating these as vestiges, the architects worked closely with conservation experts to reinforce and restore the vaulted ceilings, original frescoes, decorative plasterwork and surviving woodwork. In addition, during the design phase, additional complexities were uncovered in older sections of the palace, including irregular walls and unexpected foundations, requiring further intervention from specialists.

A sequence of contrasts

Throughout, MACAM offers a sequence of contrasts, from the exterior view of its ceramic-clad extension opposite the original 18th-century palace, to the minimal lines of the contemporary infrastructure sitting within its ornamented Baroque interiors. The equal weight given to past and present is also evident within the extension itself – the exhibition galleries' remarkable courtyard facade, with its screen of custom-made ceramic pieces by Portuguese artist Maria Ana Vasco Costa, combines a traditional material palette with a decisively modern flavour, celebrating Lisbon’s generous natural light, while referencing its ceramic traditions. 

Vasco Costa’s early explorations focused on patterns reminiscent of Brazilian cobogós – perforated brick elements screening sunlight and providing ventilation, often utilised by modernist architects to decorative effect – resulting in a fresh, geometric design that feels both ageless and progressive. This ‘veil’ diffuses natural light across the galleries, creating a pattern of light and shade that shifts throughout the day. It also offers glimpses through to the palace and its gardens, drawing visitors to look out, linking interior and exterior and contrasting architectural styles, within a single view.

This layered approach is evident throughout the extension, engaging the visitors in diverse ways. The larger of the two galleries for temporary exhibitions showcases large-scale installations under a high ceiling; the other displays smaller works in a more intimate setting. Above, a rooftop terrace hosts public gatherings, offering views of the Tagus River and the 25 de Abril Bridge, enhancing MACAM’s connection to the waterside, while hotel guests enjoy exclusive access to a secluded pool area. Similarly, in the hotel itself, the display of art is not limited to dedicated galleries – it extends into corridors, lounges and some guest rooms, echoing the age-old tradition of enriching palace interiors with artworks, weaving the experience of art into daily activities.

From Baroque chapel to performance space

A notable example of the adaptive approach taken at MACAM can be found in the chapel, reconceived as a ‘live arts bar’ called àCapela. Its vivid frescoes have been carefully restored, along with other surviving Baroque details, and now share the space with modern lighting rigs and sound systems. Engineers have ensured the safety of the historic elements, for instance through the insertion of sensitive structural reinforcements to protect the ornate plasterwork. 

The architects describe the result as a delicate balance between existing fabric and modern technology – by day, the chapel retains its Baroque character; at night, it transitions into a platform for contemporary performances. This contrast exemplifies MACAM’s broader goal of reframing older spaces for today’s audiences, which includes a readiness to integrate advanced systems within heritage interiors.

The result is a building that preserves and expresses its history, yet welcomes different interpretations, allowing guests and visitors alike to explore the diverse layers visible across each hallway, stair and ceiling. All can climb the decorated main staircase, navigate the bright galleries, step into the chapel, then reach the rooftop with its extraordinary view across the river. Throughout this journey, the line separating museum-goer from hotel guest fades, and new ways to engage with art and architecture are fostered.

The approach reflects a broader trend in Lisbon when seeking to renew ancient buildings for contemporary audiences. In this guise, architecture takes on more than a mere protective function; it becomes part of the story, illustrating how tradition and innovation can coexist in heritage locations, and older structures can be updated to house alternative functions, while their fundamental character is preserved. 

More, the example of MACAM suggests how a multi-use model can preserve architectural heritage, while also providing future financial stability. In a context where tourism often strains heritage sites, this is a viable method of revitalisation, leveraging the cultural vitality of Lisbon’s riverside corridor to restore and maintain a cultural landmark, while demonstrating that older buildings can retain both their relevance and significance if woven into contemporary life. 

By combining museum and hotel components, MACAM balances design ambition and civic context, successfully expanding upon the strategy of adaptive reuse, and revealing how art, hospitality and history can coexist in a single immersive encounter – one that honours the past while looking to the future.

Daniela Silva is an architect, writer and researcher based in Lisbon. She works at Ressano Garcia Architects, contributes to publications including CLOT Magazine and Architecture Hunter, and is pursuing a PhD in digital fabrication within architectural practice.

In numbers

Site area 13,000m²
GIA 22,000m²
Exhibition space 2,000m² 
Hotel rooms and suites 64