Château de Rentilly gets a shiny makeover courtesy of Xavier Veilhan, Bona-Lemercier and Alexis Bertrand

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Contemporary château with polished steel mirrored exterior, with a large lawned area and towering cedar tree.
Château de Rentilly, a short drive from Paris, is celebrating its transformation into a new contemporary art centre by Xavier Veilhan, Bona-Lemercier and Alexis Bertrand.
(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

Just a short drive from Paris, the historic domain of Rentilly is celebrating the transformation of its old château into a brand new centre for contemporary arts.

The project was created in partnership with Frac Île-de-France (the Contemporary Art Fund of the Paris region), who put out a call for artists, challenging them to produce both an exhibition facility and an art piece on the scale of a building. Four teams were shortlisted in the competition, each bringing together an artist and an architect. The winning team comprises multidisciplinary artist Xavier Veilhan, the architectural office Bona-Lemercier, and Veilhan's frequent collaborator, stage designer Alexis Bertrand.

The design concept draws on the château's strong geometries (such as the series of ponds throughout the property's landscaped gardens), as well as the fact that the building holds no significant historic value, allowing the team the freedom to play with the structure itself. The château was in fact a replacement of the original 16th-century palace damaged during World War II, and in the words of Veilhan, was only a 'shadow of itself'. 

Moving on from an initial idea of covering the entire volume with a camouflage pattern, the team found a more sophisticated way of blending the palace with the park while highlighting its iconic shape. Clad in a new skin of mirror-polished stainless steel, the building's pleats multiply and playfully reflect views of the park while equally reflective windows seem to merge with the metal surface.

The basement floor - the only part of the original building that remains intact - houses the museum lobby, as well as the storage and workshop. The rest of the interior, previously unsuitable for contemporary art shows, has been hollowed out and replaced by two 500 sq m exhibition halls, supported by a metal structure, independent to the preserved outer walls. The sloped roof was smartly redesigned to incorporate a panoramic terrace that doubles as additional exhibition space for a museum where visitors both look at the artwork as well as become an integral part of the display.

Landscaped lawn and large pond area with fountain sit in front of the contemporary mirrored château

The design concept draws on the château's strong geometries, such as its series of ponds. 

(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

A close-up view of the château with trees reflected in its mirrored exteriror.

The château, as it stands today, is in fact a replacement of the original 16th-century palace damaged during World War II. 

(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

Gravel pathway leading to the entrance to the mirrored château.

Now clad in mirror-polished stainless steel panels, the building reflects its green surroundings. 

(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

Large open space inside contemporary château with white stair well and light reflective surfaces all around.

The interior was hollowed out and completely redesigned.

(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

Large exhibition hall with light reflective surfaces.

The space now hosts two 500 sq m exhibition halls, suitable for art displays.

(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

Full length view of exhibition hall with light flooding in through the large windows on both sides

The exhibition spaces are supported by a metal structure, independent to the preserved outer walls. 

(Image credit: Florian Kleinefenn)

ADDRESS

Parc culturel de Rentilly
1 rue de l'Étang
77600 Bussy-Saint-Martin
France

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