In the case of an air-cooled electric machine with reverse cooling in the closed cooling circuit, a cooling arrangement is arranged in a foundation pit (10) underneath the machine and constructed in a modular fashion. It comprises a plurality of coolers (11) which are arranged independently of one another in the foundation pit (10) and separated from one another by separating walls extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the machine. The outlet openings of the coolers (11) are freely connected to cold-gas chambers (14, 16) between the machine housing (1) and stator laminated core (2). The inlet openings of the coolers (11) are freely connected to the outflow spaces of the two fans (12) at the machine end faces. This design permits rapid exchange and/or shutdown of a cooler in addition to optimum guidance of cooling gas.