A stroll through antiquity

UThis walk will take you through the highlights of the Ancient Roman city. You will see the vestiges of the Roman era, the post-war rehousing developments and the railway brownfields, with the city's history museum as our starting point.



Autour des cités universitaires Musée de l’Arles Antique Espace d'accueil des thermes de Constantin Collège Frederic Mistral Restauration du théatre antique Grande Halle Logements de première nécessité
Share:
Musée de l’Arles Antique

Musée de l’Arles Antique

The Showpiece of the Origins

Outside of the city, on a triangular peninsula earmarked for a tripartite project (encompassing scientific, cultural and exhibition spaces), it was only natural for Henri Ciriani to create a triangular building - a shape that is rarely represented in architecture. This usually strict geometry is deconstructed by the addition of multi-form projections, notably at the museum's entrance. The complex is clad in a blue enamelled glass, with matte white protuberances housing the administrative services, the cafeteria and the access ramp to the auditorium punctuating the brilliance of the entrance facade. Inside, we find a vast contiguous exhibition space that reveals a wealth of organised and layered volumes. The treatment of natural light is adapted to each usage: orientated sheds bathe the space in a soft, homogenous light that reveals the organised structure, while more direct, coloured light shines through the openings that frame the outside landscapes. In spite of the barbaric extension imposed by the regional council, which harms the building's harmonious integrity, the Musée de l'Arles Antique remains a vital building, as much for the quality of its design as for the collection it houses.
Architect : Henri Ciriani
AYear : 1995
Typologie : museum
Address :
Presqu'île du Cirque Romain, Avenue de la 1ère Division Française Libre, Arles
Géolocalisation google 43.297292,5.361493