SMDF – Cooling Tower

At the beginning of the 1990s, its refurbishment was planned to house the INEM (Spanish employment services) offices and a circular space was fitted out inside it, organised into three levels: basement, ground floor and first floor. Due to certain technical difficulties, it did not operate as such. However, this refurbishment was the starting point for a new project, this time completed. The refurbishment of the cooling tower, following a project by the architect Claudio Ignacio Pedrero, converted it into a visitors' reception centre for an iron and steel museum (Museo de la Siderurgia, MUSI). The new facility was officially inaugurated in September 2006.

The cooling tower has a steel and glass dome as roofing, which, like a skylight, provides zenithal lighting. The galvanised steel lining of the walls also enhances the industrial character of the building. The space generated is consistent with an exhibition route that explains the business history of Duro and the fundamental role that the company played in the industrialisation process in Asturias.

At the top of the monumental structure, a chromatic work by Marcelino de la Fuente can be seen. Beyond its plastic interest, the monument acquires a marked symbolism, since this work transforms the cooling tower into an imposing lighthouse that makes visible and emphasises the heritage interest of the enclave. The intervention is completed by the artist's work on the exterior of the complex, with paintings on the wall and on the pavement that allude to the strength, energy and power of industry.

Natalia Tielve García