Client: Etablissement Public du Musée du Louvre
Architects: Mario Bellini, Rudy Ricciotti, Renaud Piérard
Structural Engineering : Bucci & Partners
General Contractor: Waagner Biro
Technical Design & Engineering of the roof : HDA
Date : 2006-2012
Quantities : 1 600m² couverture, 460m² façade, steel : 40kg/m², 3000 tubes
Work Value : 8 M€
A veil to filter light
The historical Louvre Museum expanded its collection and exhibition space to include a new Islamic Arts department. A public competition was won by a partnership between architects Bellini and Ricciotti. The new facility includes a covered exhibition space in the Visconti courtyard on the south wing of the museum.
HDA were retained as specialist designers of the courtyard glass roof and facades including structural analysis and envelope design.
The roof is a free-form topography composed of triangular glass modules on a steel grid shell. Metal grills with an iridescent coating are added for solar protection and light filtering. More mesh panels are used for the ceiling to soften the effect of the roof, whilst still permitting glimpses of the surrounding courtyard facades. The resulting design is a soft luminous wavy surface, with a subtle play of light and transparency.
