“Las Ferias del Campo. Modern Landscapes and Architectures” in the Casa de Campo is an exhibition hosted at the ICO Museum in Madrid from October 14, 2025, to January 11, 2026. Curated by architect and professor José de Coca Leicher, the show presents the history, architectural value, and current condition of the modern fairground complex located in Madrid’s Casa de Campo.

Based on an extensive, rigorous investigation, the exhibition highlights the extraordinary yet often forgotten heritage of the modern pavilions designed and built between 1950 and 1975, many of which still survive today.

Practical info

“Las Ferias del Campo. Modern Landscapes and Architectures”
October 14, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Museo ICO
C. de Zorrilla, 3, Centro, Madrid
Spain

The research underlying the exhibition documents 115 pavilions, of which 61 remain, created by prominent figures of Spanish modern architecture. The fairground was inaugurated in 1950 for the first National Field Fair. Its initial layout—designed by Francisco de Asís Cabrero and Jaime Ruiz—featured brick arches, vault systems, patios, a tower, and other structures that represented a radical departure from standard architectural language in Spain at the time. Limited resources, particularly the scarcity of steel and cement during post-war autarky, led architects to embrace brick as the sole construction material, resulting in an innovative and austere architectural language.

Between 1953 and 1975, as the fair evolved into the International Field Fair organized by the National Syndicates, the site expanded with new pavilions created by young architects experimenting with forms, structures, and materials. The grounds became a true “laboratory of architectures,” hosting works by pioneers such as Miguel Fisac, Alejandro de la Sota, José Antonio Corrales, Ramón Vázquez Molezún, and others. The exhibition also highlights the essential collaboration between architects and artists responsible for decorative arts—murals, screens, and sculptural elements—created by artists such as Carlos Pascual de Lara, Antonio Rodríguez Valdivieso, Antonio Lago Rivera, Amadeo Gabino, Manuel Suárez-Pumariega Molezún, and Jesús de la Sota.

The exhibition brings together over 300 pieces, including photographs, architectural drawings, original documents, models, and artworks. It not only reconstructs the fairground’s historical development but also opens a dialogue on its present and future. A key component is a photographic series by Luis Asín, created specifically for the project and presented as a video installation, offering a contemporary visual interpretation of the site and its landscape.

The exhibition unfolds in three chronological sections:

Origins (Ground Floor)
This section covers the early 20th-century opening of the Casa de Campo park and the creation of the fairground up to 1950. It emphasizes the initial layout, brick-based construction approach, and early architectural innovations by Cabrero and Ruiz.

Modern Expansion (First Floor)
Focusing on the period until 1975, this section documents the proliferation of modern pavilions, with a special homage to Cabrero through the “Red Cube” installation. Iconic examples such as the Pabellón de los Hexágonos (1959, Corrales & Molezún) and the Pabellón de Cristal (1965, Cabrero, Ruiz & Labiano) are featured alongside decorative art pieces and a large-scale model—the first complete reconstruction of the historic fairground.

Present Day (Mezzanine)
This section examines recent heritage recovery efforts carried out after the approval of the 2006 Special Plan for the Field Fair, and includes Asín’s contemporary photographic work.

Catalogue

A comprehensive catalogue published by Fundación ICO and Ediciones Asimétricas accompanies the exhibition. Edited and coordinated by José de Coca Leicher, it includes scholarly texts by leading academics and reproduces over 200 images (plans, photographs, historical drawings, and newly produced works). The catalogue is available at the museum and selected bookstores.