https://www.architecturalrecord.com/rss/1573 en-us If there is any corner of the world less in need of a new architectural icon, it's Menton, a lovely seaside hill town situated 2.5 miles from Italy on the French Riviera.

]]> musee-jean-cocteau-rudy-ricciotti-architect.asp Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/7897-mus-e-jean-cocteau Mus'e Jean Cocteau Seen up close, the columns create interesting frames for views in and out.   Photo © Roland Halbe Mus'e Jean Cocteau The museum stands between the Mediterranean and the market square in Menton, a picturesque resort near Monaco. The building’s glass curtain wall is wrapped with a shallow pergola of writhing columns, which are made of finely molded concrete and are evocative of Cocteau’s dreamlike imagery.   Photo © Roland Halbe Mus'e Jean Cocteau The museum entrance faces a large plaza. Here, a deep, moatlike porch provides daylight to the lower-level spaces.   Photo © Roland Halbe Mus'e Jean Cocteau A pair of bridges span the resulting divide for access to the lobby. “In formal terms, the building is an archetype of arcades with very strong shadows,” says the architect, noting the proximity of the frontier with Italy, where the type is common. These arcades, however, do not lend themselves to strolling or relaxing over a drink.   Photo © Roland Halbe Mus'e Jean Cocteau Pristine temporary and permanent exhibition spaces on the main gallery floor are configured within a free plan around a central core that separates the entrance and lobby from the exhibits.   Photo © Roland Halbe Mus'e Jean Cocteau Image courtesy Rudy Ricciotti Architect Mus'e Jean Cocteau Image courtesy Rudy Ricciotti Architect Mus'e Jean Cocteau Image courtesy Rudy Ricciotti Architect