Gabriel García Márquez's fictional village of Macondo is being reimagined as a real-world cultural space in Madrid. For a brief period, it will take physical form as Parque Macondo, built around the temporary Shakira Stadium.
What is Parque Macondo in Madrid?
Macondo, the imagined setting at the heart of One Hundred Years of Solitude, is being translated into a physical entertainment complex in the Spanish capital. The concept is tied to Shakira’s upcoming concerts and uses a literary reference as the cultural backbone of the project.
The idea is to move beyond a conventional gig venue and create a setting where the audience becomes part of a wider spatial and cultural experience.
Parque Macondo will be built on a 21-hectare site in Madrid that already contains an existing music venue. The project has been conceived as an alternative to traditional stadiums, which often sit empty and inactive between events.
The Shakira Stadium: a 50,000-seat temporary venue
Officially named the Shakira Stadium, the structure is temporary and will hold up to 50,000 people. It is being erected specifically to host the Shakira September concerts scheduled as part of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran international tour.
Despite its temporary nature, the scale is substantial, placing it among the larger purpose-built venues created for touring artists.
The project has been designed by Danish architecture studio BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). The studio’s approach deliberately distances itself from the standard structures typically associated with touring stadiums.
An immersive concert experience in Madrid
At the centre of the Shakira Stadium is a vast wraparound LED screen that extends around the back of the stage, forming the main visual focal point. This immersive screen design is intended to envelop the performance space rather than simply frame it.
The concept goes further than the performance area itself. Parque Macondo has been designed as an entertainment ecosystem, incorporating:
- Spaces for parallel events
- Gastronomy areas
- Recreational and leisure zones
The intention is for the park to remain active beyond concert hours, avoiding the dormant feel that often characterises traditional stadiums between events.
Sustainable design and outdoor spaces at Parque Macondo
Outside the main stadium structure, the design includes curved, organic pathways guiding visitors around the site. These walkways are partially covered by tensile canopy structures made entirely from recycled fabrics.
The canopies provide shade in Madrid’s climate while contributing to the overall visual identity of the park.
The exterior areas will host a lively market-style space featuring:
- Artist stalls
- A varied food offering
- Dedicated safe zones for children’s entertainment
Part of a growing trend in temporary stadium architecture
The Shakira Stadium does not stand in isolation. It forms part of a broader architectural trend towards large-scale temporary venues.
Other examples referenced alongside the Madrid project include:
- A temporary cricket stadium in New York
- The fully dismantlable stadium in PyeongChang, South Korea, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics
Within this context, the Madrid development demonstrates how ephemeral architecture can be impactful, functional and visually ambitious, even without the permanence of a conventional stadium.
Stay in the know about living in Spain as a foreigner—get our weekly newsletter for the latest travel, legal, and lifestyle news.
