Thursday 17 September 2009

art squared





Norman Foster's Carré d'Art is a library & gallery in the centre of old Nîmes. The building was constructed as part of a project to refurbish the square in which the Maison Carrée stands, and provide a new setting for the ancient temple.
Each time I go to the Carré d'Art there's always lots of activity around the building. The exterior spaces are almost as successful as the architecture itself. People sit on the benches and watch the shadows formed by the white columns, kids play on the steps and teenagers hangout around the back of the building breakdancing and skateboarding.
There's a restaurant on the top floor with a terrace looking over the square, framing the views out over the rooftops of the old town. Since we'd been last we were dismayed to find that coloured timed lighting had been added. I'm sure Foster would be horrified!


5 comments:

  1. inspiring reading and beautiful photos! i especially like the one of the girl caught in motion! and i agree, norman foster can't possibly have known about the timed lighting
    :)

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  2. Yep, definitely, love the picture of the little girl running... So cute.

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  3. wow, that sky is so amazing. so so beautiful....and you capture it incredibly well. i'm really moved! thank you for a wonderful post.

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  4. I missed Nimes during my last trip to the south of France. Maybe next time.

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    ReplyDelete