Alésia Museum Building, Interpretive Center France, Architect, Picture, Design, Architecture

Alésia Museum, France : Burgundy Architecture

French Museum Building design by Bernard Tschumi Architectes

6 Dec 2011

Alésia Museum Building

Alésia Museum – First Phase

Date built: 2011

Location: Burgundy, France

Alésia Museum and Archaeological Park

Alésia MuséoParc – Musée archéologique

Part of a museum complex designed by Bernard Tschumi Architects, a new interpretive center on the site of the historic Battle of Alésia will open in a formal ceremony on March 23, 2012. Located in Burgundy, France, the building marks the position of the Roman army, under Julius Caesar, and its encampment surrounding the Gauls under Vercingetorix in 52 B.C. The building will be open to the public starting on March 26th.

photo from Bernard Tschumi urbanistes Architectes

The design by Bernard Tschumi features a cylindrical building with an exterior envelope made of wood, a material that references the Roman fortifications of the era, some of which are reconstructed in an area a short walk from the building. The roof of the building is planted with low shrubs and trees, so as to minimize the visual impact of the building when seen from the hill above (the historical position of the Gauls).

The materiality and sustainable elements of the building are meant to make visitors aware of the surrounding landscape, which appears much as it would have 2000 years ago. A second building on the hill will mark the location of the Gauls, and has a similar geometry but is clad in stone, evoking its trenched position.

The interpretive center will contain exhibits and interactive displays that contextualize the events of the Battle of Alésia and its aftermath. The displays are intended to reach a broader audience than a museum, with a range of media and programs for all ages.

The second building will act as a more traditional museum, with a focus on found objects and artifacts unearthed from the site. The second building is scheduled to be completed in 2015.

Alésia Museum Burgundy images / information from Bernard Tschumi Architects

Alésia Museum Building design : Bernard Tschumi Architects

Alesia Museum and Archaeological Park, Alise Sainte Reine, France
Design: Bernard Tschumi Architects

photo : Iwan Baan
Alesia Museum and Archaeological Park : further information
This project marks an archeological site in central France and commemorates a historic battle between Julius Caesar and the Gauls in 52 B.C. The new museum recreates battlements and earthworks and provides historical interpretation for the area, which consists of several sites spread over a valley containing a small medieval town.