If you are planning a museum for Strasbourg you have to ensure that it is earthquake-proof, including the façade. Two tectonic plates meet in the Southern Alps and earthquakes are not uncommon in the Alsace region. 

Whilst recognising these significant seismic considerations, Parisian Architect Adrien Fainsilber & Consultant Engineers RFR sought a design solution for the Museum of Art that was a synthesis of traditional and the modern, light construction. The resultant structure features playfully positioned cubic components above a stone-clad pedestal, with the central foyer, a tall linear glass hall, being the architectural focal-point of the structure.  

The façade construction comprises a pipework frame support grid, maintaining the project’s overall cubic aesthetic, anchored to the primary structure. Aesthetically the pipework grid results in distinct façade bays, comprising 4 rows of glazing, whilst structurally this configuration allows the integrity of the façade to be maintained even in instances where 50% of glazing in any given bay breaks. This is due to unique diagonal force equalisers incorporated throughout the 2400m2 cable façade.

Architect: Adrien Fainsilber, Paris