Steven Holl Architects, in partnership with Compagine de Phalsbourg, has won an international design competition for the new Angers Collectors Museum. The new museum is inspired by the historic Chateau d'Angers and forms a new cultural gateway for the city.
The site for the new Angers Collectors Museum is in the center of the city, on the east bank of the Maine river and across from the Chateau d'Angers, built by King Louis IX between 1228 and 1238 on the foundations of a 9th century fortress. It is also adjacent to the city's largest theater Le Quai, creating a new cultural triangle in the heart of Angers and bridging the medieval and contemporary architecture. The museum is set within a series of reflecting pools, which relate back to the history of the site, which was once part of the river.
The 4742 sm, exposed titanium white concrete museum will feature galleries for permanent and temporary exhibitions and an atrium event space, and provide spaces for art education and art storage. In addition, it will share a rooftop restaurant with the hotel. Geothermal heating and cooling eliminate fossil fuels, and recycled water fills the reflecting pools.