Creation

Fond Régional d'Art Contemporain - PACA

Marseille – France, 2013

Evoking an haute couture dress, the façade of this building is covered with a glass skin made of “white scales”.

When the architecture is viewed in its entirety, each scale seems identical, but upon closer inspection one can see that each panel is unique and bears a vast number of drops of white enamel. These white spots, in the eyes of architect Kengo Kuma, are like the many photons that make up the unique and complex light of the Mediterranean.


Photos credit:
Maris Mezulis
Emmanuel Barrois

Technique

The glass scales, placed on the façade using a non-penetrating fastening system, are made of tempered laminated extra-white glass. The 1650 panels were enamelled by hand-applying a large number of drops of white enamel.

Architect

Kengo Kuma


Design and execution

Atelier Barrois

Client

Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region

AEB FRAC 11
AEB FRAC 05
AEB FRAC 02
AEB FRAC 03
AEB FRAC 04
AEB FRAC 06
AEB FRAC 09
AEB FRAC 10