By Kenny Lau
The skyline of Arles, South of France is changed forever following the construction of the Luma Arles arts centre. Commissioned by collector and businesswoman Maja Hoffman for the Luma Foundation, the architect Frank Gehry references the local Alpilles rock formations and takes Van Gogh’s evocations of light one step further.
Created to house seminar rooms, exhibition spaces, research facilities, an auditorium and a cafe for the arts centre, the centre was first conceived in 2013 and opened on 26 June 2021. The site was a disused industrial area named Parc des Ateliers, situated in Arles, a culturally rich city in France. Hoffman deliberately chose this city as, according to her, it is “the fruit of a number of years of experimentation and of a lifelong commitment to artists and a healthy environment… it represents my relationship with Art, which grew and developed in the presence of artists from when I was a child, together with my close relationship with Nature”.
The structure’s warping steel facade echoes the bizarre rock formations of the local Alpilles, while its numerous glittering panels is perhaps Gehry’s take on Van Gogh’s mesmerizing depictions of life. Although the external elements of Luma Arles are arguably the most enticing, there are also numerous intricacies incorporated into the design of its interior. This includes the wall of its lift lobby, which is composed of tiles of salt. They hail from the nearby Mediterranean Sea and are manufactured in a sustainable process that involves local communities. Other noteworthy features are the majestic double helix staircase and a pair of spiralling slides designed by artist Carsten Holler, both of which resemble the swirling strokes of Starry Night.
“I respond to every f*cking detail of the time we’re in with the people we live with, in this place.” These words encapsulate Gehry’s philosophy in architecture, which is fully displayed in the Luma Arles project.
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