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Usera puts the finishing touches on its two large Chinese arches to unveil them this autumn
The Chinatown de Madrid is about to gain one of its most recognisable features. Usera is entering the final phase of installing two large ceremonial arches of Chinese inspiration, known as paifang, which could be finished in time for the Golden Week, celebrated from 1 to 7 October.
The structures will be erected in the Plaza del Hidrógeno, along the Dolores Barranco axis, and on Calle Evangelios. Each will be about ten metres high and nearly thirteen metres wide, dimensions that will allow traffic to continue passing underneath on these district roads.
The arches will have their own lighting and decorative elements inspired by traditional Chinese architecture. Their arrival has been delayed compared to the initial schedules, which had suggested they would be ready this summer, but work is now progressing with the aim of completing the project in the coming weeks.
This intervention will complete a much broader urban transformation that can already be explored on foot. The City Council has created a route of about 1.7 kilometres between Madrid Río and the Plaza del Hidrógeno, reclaiming around 9,200 square metres for pedestrians and linking together seven squares and public spaces.
Along the walk, there are references to both Chinese and Spanish cultures: proverbs written in both languages, pavements decorated with carp, motifs from the Chinese zodiac, vegetation, and children's play areas. Among these, a play area presided over by a large dragon stands out, as well as a panda bear sculpture previously installed in the neighbourhood.
The project also has an economic aim. Usera is home to a large number of restaurants, supermarkets, and shops connected to the Chinatown de Madrid community and has become an increasingly well-known gastronomic destination beyond the district. The City Council aims to make the most of this identity to attract visitors to the south and spread some of the tourist activity that has traditionally been concentrated in the centre.
The transformation is not without debate. While business owners and part of the Chinese community see the Chinatown de Madrid as an opportunity to gain visibility and economic activity, some local voices have questioned whether tourism investment addresses the district’s most urgent needs. The project therefore coexists with debates about housing, cleanliness, commerce, and property pressure that also affect Usera.
Once the two paifang are finally in place, the change will be hard to miss: anyone arriving from Madrid Río will be able to walk along the new pedestrian route until they reach monumental gates that will visually mark the heart of the Chinatown de Madrid. After several years of works and cultural elements scattered through its streets, this autumn Usera is preparing the missing piece of its new image.