Museum of Architecture and Design, Private architectural museum in Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Museum of Architecture and Design (MARQ) occupies the former water tower of the Retiro railway complex, a 400 m² covered structure on a 1,500 m² site. Its five levels — ground floor, three upper floors and a basement, about 80 m² each — have exposed brick walls and a steel frame of columns and beams, with composite floors of steel profiles, vaulted infill and reinforced concrete. Classical details include pilasters, segmental and semicircular arches, cornices and a Paris stone base.

The building is the former water tower of the Retiro railway complex, a brick-clad structure with a steel frame, steel columns and beams, and composite floors of steel profiles with vaults on reinforced-concrete bases. Its classical detailing includes pilasters, segmental and semicircular arches, cornices and a Paris stone base. The compact volume emphasises the tank, once part of a group of railway buildings that no longer exist. The tower now belongs to the Sociedad Central de Arquitectos and houses the MARQ, Argentina's only museum of architecture and design.

The MARQ has no permanent collection; its temporary exhibitions and public programme are meant to give architecture and design produced in Argentina an institutional place in the cultural scene. Director Victoria Baeza, appointed by the SCA in early 2019, announced plans for training and outreach activities, cinema, a shop, a bookshop and a café. The garden holds a food cart and a café.

The museum occupies the former water tower of the Retiro railway complex, on a 1,500 m² plot with 400 m² covered over five levels: ground floor, three upper floors and a basement, each about 80 m². The surrounding land is used for open-air exhibitions and temporary covered or semi-covered annexes. A 200 m² annex pavilion donated by Ternium-Techint, with a multipurpose hall, restrooms, storage and a café opening onto the garden, was under construction. In the garden there is a food cart and a café.

The museum has no permanent collection, so its programme relies on temporary exhibitions, film screenings and training activities. Director Victoria Baeza, appointed by the SCA in early 2019, also planned a shop, bookshop and café. A 200 m² annex pavilion donated by Ternium-Techint was under construction, with a multi-purpose hall and a cafeteria opening onto the garden.