The head office of this organisation occupies numbers 3 and 5 Alfonso XII Street, the building originally occupied by the former School of Civil Engineers.

In 1802, the School of Civil Engineers was established in the Palacio del Buen Retiro (Buen Retiro Palace). The War of Independence interrupted teaching in 1814. Since then, the School of Civil Engineers had been housed in several premises until it was decided to erect a new building to house the institution. The site chosen was Cerrillo de San Blas, and the project was entrusted to the architect and engineer, Mariano Carderera. Work ended in 1888. The School of Public Works Assistants was also moved to the new building.

In the 1960s, the School of Civil Engineers moved to the University City Campus, and the School of Public Works Experts moved into the nearby Cajal Institute building.

In the late 1960s, the building became the seat of the Rectorate of the Autonomous University of Madrid and of the Faculties of Philosophy and Arts and the School of Economics until the Cantoblanco Campus was inaugurated.

Today, this historic building is the headquarters of the Office of Cultural Infrastructure and Equipment. This institution is responsible for building infrastructure and facilities that fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture and Sport and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, and for managing the real estate assets assigned to these Departments.