During my residency at AADK, Centro Negra in Blanca (Murcia), a small town with some 6500 inhabitants in the beautiful Valle de Ricote, I could have a close look at the new architecture of MUCAB. A former municipal swimming pool was relocated to the outskirts and in 2010 MUCAB was opened. MUCAB stands for Museo y Centro de Arte Blanca. In full; Museo, Escuela de Música y Centro de Desarrollo Local, de la Mujer y de la Juventud, Guardería / Centro de Atención a la Infancia. In an earlier blog on Angoulême, I used the phrase ‘great building in a small town’. MUCAB in Blanca is also a great building, in a much smaller town. It is nicknamed the ‘crystal palace’.

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Not alle citizens were happy with MUCAB in 2010. For the more traditionally minded residents, MUCAB was too modern and too big. But many others appreciate the building and perceive MUCAB as a landmark of progress for the whole Ricote Valley. In a small town like Bianca, MUCAB is big, it is over 4600 sq.m. The river side of the building has open space, but the three other sides are close to other buildings. On the other side of the Segura river, one has a great view of the building - and the town of Blanca.

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MUCAB’s owner is the municipality of Blanca. In the building we find a range of municipal social and educational functions including a music school, a women’s centre, places for the arts, a study room and some municipal offices. Events are organised on the rooftop terrace of the building. A second big occupant of the building is the Pedro Cano Museum, dedicated to the lifetime work of aquarelle painter and Blanca resident Pedro Cano. Next to Cano’s work, the museum has one of the four floors for temporary exhibitions. The third, smaller part of the building is for a kindergarten. The building has an underground parking and a restaurant with a terrace on the open space facing the river Segura.

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The building combines diverse uses and is divided into three independently functioning parts connected by courtyards (not accessible to visitors). Through windows visual communication is possible, and users of the building may open doors to the other areas. Architect Martine Lejaragga’s office gives details of the building.

The building received regional architecture prizes. One may wonder how energy-efficient the building is in the hot Murcia climate. It was designed some 20 years ago when energy and sustainability received less attention. Solar roof panels - an easy measure to reduce energy costs - are absent.

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The architecture experience in the municipal part of the building is quite different from the museum. The municipal part of MUCAB is a nice and functional place for its various functions and has two great rooftop terraces for events. The museum is a beautiful white space – rather minimalistic and well organized. Orange window foil separates the museum from the municipal part. MUCAB and its small-town surroundings give a contrast. The open space towards the river gives an opening to Ricote Valley views.

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The museum deserves more visitors, it is rather quiet now. MUCAB merits more cultural tourists who like architecture and are interested in the contrast between a traditional region / small town and new architecture.  An option for a guided tour through the building would be nice.