Hidden among the streets of Abasto is a cultural space that still bears the traces of its surprising industrial past. Ciudad Cultural Konex occupies a former oil factory and warehouse built in the 1920s, now transformed into a massive cultural complex where old industrial roofs and structures coexist with a gigantic orange staircase that has become one of its most recognizable landmarks.
In 2026, the Konex celebrates 20 years of uninterrupted cultural activity after hosting artists such as Charly García, Spinetta, Cerati, and Fito Páez. And where a factory once stood, today you can experience everything from major festivals to ballet in the dark with fiber-optic lighting. But how did an oil factory end up becoming one of Buenos Aires’ most unique cultural venues?
21 November 2026 16:00 + more dates
Ciudad Cultural Konex
From an oil factory to a cultural center in Buenos Aires
Built in the 1920s, the Konex served as a factory and oil warehouse until 1992, and it still retains part of its roofs, structures, and industrial details. Its transformation began in 2003 with an architecture competition in which 78 firms submitted proposals. The winning project was designed by Clorindo Testa, Juan Fontana, and Oscar Lorenti, who decided to breathe new life into the old factory without erasing its identity.
In 2004, while the building still had broken floors, deteriorated walls, and roofs without metal sheeting, the Konex was already beginning to host cultural events during the Festival de Verano Porteño.
Its official opening would come two years later. Since then, live music, dance, and theater have taken over the old factory, featuring performances as diverse as *The Nutcracker* and *La Bomba de Tiempo*, which, since 2006, has turned Mondays at Konex into a massive spectacle of percussion and improvisation.
The massive orange staircase that transformed the old building
The transformation also left a few surprises in plain sight. Clorindo Testa designed a massive orange structure that spans the courtyard and not only connects different areas: during some events, its steps also become a gigantic grandstand.
And you only have to look up to find more works of art. A huge metal creature peeks out from the top of the building, while its famous neon sign illuminates the courtyard and the walls continue to serve as canvases. In fact, for its 20th anniversary, the Konex added two giant murals up to 48 meters long, created by artist Jorge Pomar.
