Rudy ricciotti architecte: musée jean cocteau

'musée jean cocteau' by rudy ricciotti architecte, menton, franceimage © eric duliere
all images courtesy rudy ricciotti architecte

french practice rudy ricciotti architecte has completed the 'musée jean cocteau', a museum dedicated to the career 
of jean cocteau, a french artist, poet, and playwriter positioned within his hometown in menton, france. the featured exhibits 
were contributed by philanthropist severin wunderman, who donated his entire personal collection to the initiative, 
including 990 original works within a total amalgamation of 1800 pieces from other artists within his circle. recently inaugurated, 
the 2,700 square meter building contains drawings, paintings, ceramics, tapestries, manuscripts and projections of his films 
within galleries which overlook the adjacent ligurian sea.


entrance to veranda
image © olivier amsellem

placed upon a triangular site, a transparent box is concealed within a fragmented shell, evoking the nature of 
the elusive artwork inside. reading as a monolithic form, the concrete exterior is comprised of a structural roof 
which extends beyond the building and begins to merge with lines of columns placed outside the glass facade, 
creating a veranda which wraps around the entire perimeter. undulating cuts have been incised into the thick roof plane, 
yielding skylights which venture into the ceiling of the gallery spaces. a library will catalogue additional resources 
while a coffee shop will be accessible to both visitors and residents of the city with a pergola for outdoor seating.


voids between columns and roof beams introduce striated natural daylight into the interior
image © olivier amsellem


columns and beams create a rhythmic facade expression
image © olivier amsellem


glass windows mirrors concrete structure
image © olivier amsellem


columns meet roof beams at 90 degree angle
image © olivier amsellem


corner detail
image © olivier amsellem


concrete structure is reflected within the facade
image © olivier amsellem


glass meeting the roof plane
image © olivier amsellem


glass facade encloses the interior
image © olivier amsellem


curves of structure reflected within glass facade
image © olivier amsellem


upward view within the wrap around veranda
image © olivier amsellem


(left) lighting quality within veranda
(right) void between structure and glass facade
images © olivier amsellem


glass skylights created by the concrete superstructure
image © olivier amsellem


(left) striated shadows within the space
(right) view to the sea
images © olivier amsellem


(left) interior gallery spaces
(right) outward views framed by concrete columns
images © olivier amsellem


aerial view
image © olivier amsellem


entrance under construction


roofline detail


roof with skylights


aerial of building while under construction