Created as a space to celebrate artistic creation in all its forms, the brand new Fondation Louis Vuitton was commissioned by Bernard Arnault and designed by celebrated architecture master and Wallpaper* guest editor Frank Gehry (see W*175); the latter's grand retrospective at the Centre Pompidou also opened in Paris earlier this month.

Located within the green fields of the Jardin d'Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne, the structure was created as a composition of white blocks (and is also known as 'the iceberg'). The building's twelve curving glass 'sails', supported by wooden beams, define its shape. Gehry was inspired by the lightness of 19th century glass and garden architecture. Transparency was key to the design.

Inside, eleven exhibition galleries will host temporary and permanent shows, from the foundation's collection. The project also includes an auditorium, meeting rooms, a café, a bookshop and education facilities. The views from the top terraces stretch across the park.

RELATED TOPICS: FRANK GEHRY