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Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners

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Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 6 of 24Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 2 of 24Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 7 of 24Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 8 of 24Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - More Images+ 19

  • Design Partner: Frank Gehry
  • Executive Architect: STUDIOS Architecture
  • Building Façade Consultant: RFR/TESS
  • Building Maintenance: TAW
  • Theatre: DUCKS SCENO
  • AV: DUCKS SCENO
  • Client: Fondation Louis Vuitton, Bernard Arnault
  • Site Area: 1ha
  • City: Paris
  • Country: France
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Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 18 of 24
Courtesy of L'Observatoire International
Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 6 of 24
© Todd Eberle

Text description provided by the architects. The design responds to the setting of the Jardin d’Acclimatation, evoking the tradition of 19th-century glass garden buildings, the role of the Jardin in cultural memory (especially the work of Marcel Proust) and the desire to create a contemporary art museum that will be attractive and welcoming to the children and families who frequent the Jardin.

Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 11 of 24
© Todd Eberle
Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 5 of 24
Courtesy of L'Observatoire International

Constructed on the edge of a water garden created especially for the project, the building comprises an assemblage of white blocks (known as “the icebergs”) clad in panels of fiber-reinforced concrete, surrounded by twelve immense glass “sails” supported by wooden beams. The sails give Fondation Louis Vuitton its transparency and sense of movement, while allowing the building to reflect the water, woods and garden and continually change with the light.

Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 22 of 24
Structure Diagram © Fondation Louis Vuitton

The ground-level entrance hall serves as the entry to both the museum and the Jardin. It is designed as an active social space, featuring a restaurant and bookstore. The large, multi-purpose space directly adjacent to the entrance hall may be used as an auditorium accommodating 350 persons, an exhibition space, or event venue.

Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 16 of 24
Courtesy of L'Observatoire International

As visitors move from gallery to gallery within the building, the large expanses of glass provide picturesque views of the gardens, integrating the landscape into the experience of the museum. Visitors are able to climb exterior stairways underneath the glass sails to reach roof-top gardens and exhibitions.

Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 21 of 24
Structure Diagram © Fondation Louis Vuitton

The project has been a catalyst internationally for innovation in digital design and construction, setting a new standard for the use of advanced digital and fabrication technologies. More than 400 people contributed design models, engineering rules and assembly constraints to a common web-hosted 3D digital model, which intelligently adapted itself to design requirements. More than 3,600 glass panels and 19,000 concrete panels that form the façade were simulated using mathematical techniques and molded using advanced industrial robots, all automated from the shared 3D model. New software was developed specifically for sharing and working with the complex design.

Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 7 of 24
© Todd Eberle
Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 4 of 24
Courtesy of L'Observatoire International

The structure of the glass roof allows the building to collect and reuse rain water and improves its geothermal power. Besides, the Fondation has attained its overall goal to reach HQE (Haute Qualité Environmentale) certification noted as Très Performant. The steps taken to achieve this level of certification could be considered equivalent to LEED Gold.

Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners - Image 2 of 24
© Todd Eberle

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Project location

Address:Bois de Boulogne, 75016 Paris, France

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
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Cite: "Fondation Louis Vuitton / Gehry Partners" 13 Oct 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed 25 Jan 2025. <https://www.archdaily.com/555694/fondation-louis-vuitton-gehry-partners> ISSN 0719-8884
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