Arles, France, best-known to most people for the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and its still-in-use Roman Amphitheatre has just gotten a new and stunning twisted tower by star architect Frank Gehry.
Luma Arles, on a former industrial site, is only blocks from the amphitheatre and can be seen from it. Mustapha Bouhayati, head of Luma Arles doesn’t see a contradiction; he told local press that “We’re building the heritage of tomorrow,” referring to Arles’ status as a Unesco World Heritage site.
The Swiss-based Luma Foundation conceived it as the center of a “creative campus” offering artists a space to create, collaborate and showcase their work. The tower will house art exhibitions, a library and offices, and will be an exhibit of its own: the glass base and 11,000 stainless steel panels reflect the city’s changing lights, including a fierce orange glow at sunset.
