Reims FRANCE 2012-
The new Musée des Beaux-arts is situated between the old and new town on the periphery of a long green space, which originates from the town
fortifications. The Gallo-Roman gate and the modernist market hall located in the vicinity bear witness to Reims’ architectural history from antiquity
to modernism. An excavation site with mediaeval findings is situated on the grounds of the new museum.
The freestanding building is composed of three bar-formed volumes with monopitched roofs. Marble slabs in the lower zone and glass ceramic panels
in the upper zone clad the façade, giving it a translucent quality and emphasising the building’s sculptural appearance within the urban context.
A seven metre high, selfsupporting hall opens up to the city on three sides and spans the excavation site. The hall provides a publicly accessible
transition space between inside and outside. Suspended steel bridges connect the different approach routes and lead across the archaeological
findings into the foyer overlooking the excavation site.
The museum will display paintings, sculptures and objects from the 15th to 21st century over two floors. The longitudinal main rooms can be divided
flexibly. Smaller galleries, devoted to different artists or collectors, branch off from the main rooms. Areas for art education and spaces for visitors to
relax and enjoy views of the city complement the overall sequence of the galleries. A library, auditorium, and glimpses into the non-public restoration
workshops round off the museum experience.
A large proportion of the exhibition space is naturally lit. Light-diffusing ceilings in the uppermost floor distribute the daylight evenly through the
pitched roofs. Large, translucent façade areas in the first exhibition floor make it possible to control the incidence of side light, the preferred illumination
for the exhibits on display, while individual windows draw the visitor’s attention, providing views up to the cathedral.