DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC ARTS, LOUVRE MUSEUM BY BELLINI, RICCIOTTI

“The Cour Visconti will not be covered but will, in fact, remain visible’’: this is the architectural decision declared by the architects Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti in order to achieve a “gentle and non-violent integration” of a decidedly contemporary architectural design within a historical place.

The collections will be displayed over an area of roughly 3,500 metres square, subdivided into only two levels.

The first, at courtyard level, will house works from the 7th to the 10th centuries while the second, in the basement, or rather the “new” ground floor, will exhibit works from the 11th to the 19th centuries along with the prestigious collection of carpets.

The new museum areas will be covered by a “Golden Cloud” which, emanating a diffused glow, will float airily over the museum exhibition space.

Thanks to this “luminescent covering” it will be possible from inside the new museum area to see the facades of the courtyard outside.

From inside the exhibition rooms, the visitor will be able to admire the play of folds and undulations in the covering which will add a poetic dimension to the overall effect.

Natural light will be diffused by the covering “Veil”, the skin of which will be treated so as to graduate the intensity and avoid glare.

In high summer, the level of light in the exhibition spaces will not exceed the lux level required for the proper conservation of the artifacts on display and the comfort of visitors.

On the lower level, it will be possible to catch a glimpse of the “Veil” from a number of points thanks to openings in the floor above along the perimeter of the courtyard, thus confirming the “Veil” in its role as unifying element between the collections. Description of architects.

 

Location: Paris, France

Architects: Mario Bellini, Rudy Ricciotti

Total Area: 6.800 Sq m.

Year: 2005 - 2012

Tipology: Museum

Status: Built

Client: Musée du Louvre

Budget: 40 milion €

Awards: International competition, winner project

RESEARCH CENTRE, PARIS PARC BY BIG GROUP

BIG GROUP WIN THE COMPETITION TO DESIGN THE RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF JUSSIEU IN PARIS

The new multidisciplinary research centre, Paris PARC, will become a significant addition to the campus, strengthening the international appeal and openness of the leading French University for Science and Medicine.

Paris PARC is located in the visual axis of the Notre Dame Cathedral in a dense context of university buildings from different historical periods. BIG proposes a building geometry that adapts to the specific conditions of all adjoining sides, optimized for daylight, views and accessibility. The three-dimensional envelope retracts from the neighboring facades, opens up towards the square Jean Nouvel’s of Institut du Monde Arabe and the park, and folds into a publicly accessible rooftop landscape, resulting in an adapted sculptural building  volume situated between the emblematic architectural monuments of the university.

“As a form of urban experiment the Paris PARC is the imprint of the pressures of its urban context. Wedged into a super dense context – in terms of space, public flows and architectural history – the PARC is conceived as a chain of reactions to the various external and internal forces acting upon it. Inflated to allow daylight and air to enter into the heart of the facility, compressed to ensure daylight and views for the neighboring classrooms and dormitories, lifted and decompressed to allow the public to enter from both plaza and park and finally tilted to reflect the spectacular view of the Paris skyline and the Notre Dame to the Parisians.” Bjarke Ingels, Founder, BIG.

A central canyon provides daylight and a visual connection between laboratories and offices. In the atrium a cascade of informal meeting spaces lead to the public rooftop terrace and faculty club. A public stair to the rooftop offers glimpses into the activities of the laboratories which are divided by transparent walls throughout the building to ensure visual connections between the working spaces. The upper levels have panoramic views towards the Notre Dame and the skyline of Paris.

“We propose a building that creates the optimum conditions for encounters and exchange among the academics and visitors of Paris PARC. Like a scientific incubator the new building will provide the physical environment for nurturing growth of cultures and sharing of ideas - through the internal mix of laboratories, research facilities and informal meeting spaces, and through a reunification with the public life of the city.” Andreas Klok Pedersen, Partner-in-Charge, BIG.

source:  www.e-architect.co.ukhttp://www.e-architect.co.uk/