With an architectural design of the utmost daring, the celebrated Cour Visconti, hitherto closed to the public, has been graced with a seemingly weightless roof and now provides ample exhibition spaces devoted to the Islamic arts.
Designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Mario Bellini, the new department is housed beneath an undulating glass roof, some 48 m by 32 m. Mario Bellini has likened it to a diaphanous dragonfly’s wing, while others see it as a golden cloud, a magical flying carpet or Bedouin tent, inspired no doubt by the objects evocative of Arabian nights housed within. Once inside, any visitor who has experienced the particularly loud and echoing atmosphere of the adjacent pyramid designed by Ieoh Ming Pei (1983), could be forgiven for fearing the worst. What an unexpected joy, then, to discover the new wing’s hushed acoustics, the perfect setting for an exploration of one of the world’s foremost collections of Islamic art. A veritable treasure trove comprising over 3,000 artworks, from ceramics to glasswork, pieces in gold, silver and ivory, architectural fragments, carpets, miniatures etc. The exhibition is dense and covers some 2,800 m², bearing ample witness to the abundant depth and breadth of the Louvre’s collection and documenting the culture of the Islamic world in its full geographic scope, from Spain to India. Works dating from the 7th to the 11th centuries are exhibited at courtyard level, while the basement galleries (referred to as the parterre) house works from the 11th to the end of the 18th century, including a prestigious collection of carpets. At courtyard level, natural light floods in through the glazed ceiling, its multi-layered skin serving to temper the sun’s intensity. In the parterre galleries, the play of light and shade creates a more intimate atmosphere, a place of silent contemplation and untold mystery. The ceilings and communicating spaces between each level are entirely clad in our discreet and efficient acoustic textile, in tones of elegant grey.
2,500 m² of Vibrasto 03 by Texaa® were stretched and anchored into position, thereby resolving two problems at once—the level of acoustic comfort offered to visitors and the technical constraints specific to the ceiling areas.
Project name: Département des arts de l’Islam au musée du Louvre
Year to be delivered: 2013
Town-city / Country: Paris, France
Architect: Rudy Ricciotti et Mario Bellini
Acoustician: Gérard Le Goff
Photographer: Philippe Ruault, presse-papier
By contacting the Texaa business representative of your region by telephone or e-mail and leaving your contact details and what you need. We will send you a quote promptly.
Our products are manufactured in our workshop and made available to order. Just contact the Texaa business representative of your region. If you already have a quote, you can also contact the person handling your order: the name is at the top left of your quote.
Joiners and upholsterers are the best skilled to install our products easily. We work regularly with some professionals, who we can recommend. If you have a tradesperson, who you trust, we can support him/her. You can find our installation instructions and tips here.
All our technical data sheets are here. Your regional Texaa business representative can also help; please feel free to contact him/her.
Our business representatives travel every day to installation sites and to see our customers. Please feel free to contact them and suggest the best dates and times for you, preferably by e-mail.
Our products are manufactured to order. Our standard manufacturing time is 3 weeks for most of our products. Non-standard products take from 5 weeks. We also perform miracles on a regular basis! Please feel free to contact us.
To get a quote, a delivery time or technical information, we recommend you call your regional Texaa business representative, who you can find here.
If you need information about your order, please contact the person in charge of handling it: the name is at the top left of your quote.
