Jean Nouvel - Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum

Jean Nouvel
Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum
Périgueux, France

"This site must be protected and preserved with nobility, clarity and the sensibility of today's culture".
Jean Nouvel

Photo: arcspace

The Vesunna, Gallo-Roman Museum, is located in the heart of the ancient city of Périgueux, founded by the Romans in the first century, near the Tour de Vésone and the late Roman Empire ramparts.
The Museum houses the remains of a grand Gallo-Roman residence, adorned with painted plaster work, known as Domus de Vésone.
Jean Nouvel won the competition for the design in 1993.

Photo: arcspace

Nouvel has enclosed the extensive ruin in glass, supported by thin steel columns. The tall lightweight roof, calculated geometrically from the plan of the house, has deep overhangs to keep out the sun.
Nature and views of the surrounding town, visible through the trees or reflected on the glass walls, add to the magic of the building.

Photo: arcspace
The small entrance courtyard preserves an over 200 year old Oak.

Photo: arcspace

A small 18th-century house next to the ruin, once the workplace of the first archaeologist to work on the excavations of Roman Périgueux, has been restored by Nouvel with Philippe Oudin, the local head of historic buildings.

Inside the museum the structural elements are lightweight steel with a series of raised wooden walkways, around and above the remains, that guide visitors through the house describing the daily lives of its occupants.

Photo: arcspace

The house was built around a garden courtyard bordered by a peristyle colonnade.
Nouvel has drawn a full-scale mirrored plan on the ceiling, extending beyond the glass walls, to make the layout of the villa understandable.

Photo: arcspace

Photo: arcspace
Surviving colorful plaster work.

Photo: arcspace
A collection of capitals supported by steel brackets.

North facade with Main Entrance

Total area: 2,300 square meters

Completed 2003

Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum

Architect: Jean Nouvel
Project Architect: Bertram Beissel

Jean Nouvel arcspace features

Book
Jean Nouvel
Publisher: te Neues Publishing Company
ISBN: 3823855867

Each volume in this eminently affordable series highlights the work of a renowned 20th century architect. Packed with dazzling four-color photographs of exteriors and interiors, detailed plans, generous layouts and brief, comprehensive texts, these books are both authoritative and attractive, while their convenient size makes them great travel companions.
An easy reference for work, school, or play, these colorful introductions to architectural wonders will fill your head with inspiration‹without emptying your wallet.

Jean Nouvel (Fumel, 1945) studied and started his working life in May 1968 in France. Nouvel was one of the founders of the Mars 1967 movement, which adopted a very critical position on the prevailing bureaucracy and legal anachronisms in architecture.
In the early eighties, he won several competitions such as the one for the Institute of the Arab World in Paris and the social housing competition the French Government regularly organized at that time, and which led him to build the famous Nemausus blcoks in Nimes, along with Jean-Marc Ibos and Myrto Vitart. After these projects, his international prestige grew and, in the nineties, he was responsible for projects such as Tours Congress Center, the Euralille Shopping Center, and the Cartier Foundation in Paris.

Check the price at Amazon.com

December 1, 2003

Jean Nouvel arcspace features





				Features
		Jean Nouvel Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum Périgueux, France "This site must be protected and preserved with nobility, clarity and the sensibility of today's culture". Jean Nouvel Photo: arcspace The Vesunna, Gallo-Roman Museum, is located in the heart of the ancient city of Périgueux, founded by the Romans in the first century, near the Tour de Vésone and the late Roman Empire ramparts. The Museum houses the remains of a grand Gallo-Roman residence, adorned with painted plaster work, known as Domus de Vésone. Jean Nouvel won the competition for the design in 1993. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace Nouvel has enclosed the extensive ruin in glass, supported by thin steel columns. The tall lightweight roof, calculated geometrically from the plan of the house, has deep overhangs to keep out the sun. Nature and views of the surrounding town, visible through the trees or reflected on the glass walls, add to the magic of the building. Photo: arcspace The small entrance courtyard preserves an over 200 year old Oak. Photo: arcspace A small 18th-century house next to the ruin, once the workplace of the first archaeologist to work on the excavations of Roman Périgueux, has been restored by Nouvel with Philippe Oudin, the local head of historic buildings. Inside the museum the structural elements are lightweight steel with a series of raised wooden walkways, around and above the remains, that guide visitors through the house describing the daily lives of its occupants. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace The house was built around a garden courtyard bordered by a peristyle colonnade. Nouvel has drawn a full-scale mirrored plan on the ceiling, extending beyond the glass walls, to make the layout of the villa understandable. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace Surviving colorful plaster work. Photo: arcspace A collection of capitals supported by steel brackets. North facade with Main Entrance Total area: 2,300 square meters Completed 2003 Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum Architect: Jean Nouvel Project Architect: Bertram Beissel Jean Nouvel arcspace features Book Jean Nouvel Publisher: te Neues Publishing Company ISBN: 3823855867 Each volume in this eminently affordable series highlights the work of a renowned 20th century architect. Packed with dazzling four-color photographs of exteriors and interiors, detailed plans, generous layouts and brief, comprehensive texts, these books are both authoritative and attractive, while their convenient size makes them great travel companions. An easy reference for work, school, or play, these colorful introductions to architectural wonders will fill your head with inspiration‹without emptying your wallet. Jean Nouvel (Fumel, 1945) studied and started his working life in May 1968 in France. Nouvel was one of the founders of the Mars 1967 movement, which adopted a very critical position on the prevailing bureaucracy and legal anachronisms in architecture. In the early eighties, he won several competitions such as the one for the Institute of the Arab World in Paris and the social housing competition the French Government regularly organized at that time, and which led him to build the famous Nemausus blcoks in Nimes, along with Jean-Marc Ibos and Myrto Vitart. After these projects, his international prestige grew and, in the nineties, he was responsible for projects such as Tours Congress Center, the Euralille Shopping Center, and the Cartier Foundation in Paris. Check the price at Amazon.com December 1, 2003 Jean Nouvel arcspace features