Giscard d’Estaing, the former President of France, now Governor of the Province of the Auvergne, developed the idea of a European Center of Volcanism and a theme park to foster tourism in the region.
Photo: arcspace
We visited the Vulcania construction site three month before its inauguration in February 2002. The sun was shining, the place was magic, and we took masses of photos ....... far too many for our upcoming feature about Vulcania.
It is a magic place and our images are terrific so we decided to give arcspace Club Members a Summer Bonus.
Photo: arcspace
The Vulcania basalt model at Hans Hollein’s office in Vienna.
"Vulcania is a sculpted park hollowed from flows of basaltic lava, there is no borderline with the surrounding countryside."
Hans Hollein
The museum, designed by Hans Hollein, is set in the volcanic landscape of the Massif Central at an altitude of 1,000 meters. Only the artificial volcanic cone with its dark basalt outer skin is visible above ground from afar. It consists of two 37 meter high tapering shells offset to each other. Internally, the space is lined with golden shimmering stainless-steel scales that evoke a sense of being inside a volcano, and also serve to illuminate the foyer at the base.
International Competition won by Hans Hollein in 1994
Construction start: 1997
Completed: February 2002
Photo: arcspace
July 29, 2002
