Musée du Louvre - The Arts of Islam Department

"Twenty years after the great work on the pyramid, the creation of the new Department of Islamic Art at the Louvre Museum represents a decisive step in the architectural history of the palace and the museum, a palace in constant evolution and which has carried in its genes, for eight centuries, the will to move forward ceaselessly. "

"Twenty years after the great site of the Pyramid, the creation of the new Department of Islamic Art within the Louvre Museum represents a decisive stage in the architectural history of a palace in constant evolution and which has carried in its genes, for more than eight centuries, the will to move forward without ceasing.ˮ

" ... the very remarkable work of the project managers, Mario Bellini, Rudy Ricciotti and Renaud Piérard. Their architectural response is absolutely extraordinarily clever, fulfilling all our wishes for transparency, fluid spaces and natural light. So today I am a fulfilled curator, since the architects' creation not only has the merit of being appropriate, it also has a real spatial quality which, in my opinion, has exceeded our expectations."

"... Remarkable work by the commissioning, Mario Bellini, Rudy Ricciotti and Renard Pierard. Their architectural response is of absolutely extraordinary intelligence, exceeding all expectations in terms of transparency, fluidity of spaces and natural light. I am thus an accomplished museographer because the architects' creation not only has the merit of being appropriated, but is also of a genuine spatial quality that, in my opinion, exceeds our hopes.ˮ

"Coming from the Pyramid, the visitor to the new Department of Islamic Arts suddenly enters an unsuspected place installed in the heart of the old palace. In front of him, a display of showcases seems to have come out of a huge courtyard-wide game of Mikado: in reality, each layout is meticulously studied to gently suggest the route as it is written by the curators; during this unrestricted stroll, the works seem to come amiably to meet him, placing him at the heart of a sharing of delicacy and refinement. "

"Coming from the pyramid, the visitor to the new Department of Islamic Art suddenly enters an unexpected place installed in the heart of the old palace. In front of it, a flurry of showcases seem to emerge from a huge mikado game on the courtyard staircase; in reality, each implant is meticulously studied to suggest, in the gentleness of its journey, what has been written for it by the museographers; during this unconstrained visit, the works of art seem to welcome him with friendship, placing him at the heart of an exchange of delicacy and refinement.ˮ

"La cour Visconti, one of the last spaces of the Palais du Louvre still available but which remained inaccessible to the public, was chosen to house the new department. The project by the winning architects, Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti, took up the challenge of constructing an avant-garde building in an ancient, listed site. It creates museographic spaces spread over 2,800 square meters on two levels, above an area of technical spaces. The high point of the architectural project, the Visconti courtyard is covered by an extraordinary structure which respects the historic facades while at the same time adorning it with a highly original element."

"Cour Visconti - one of the last remaining spaces of the Louvre still available, but which was inaccessible to the public - was chosen to house the new department. The design by the winning architects, Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti, reveals the challenge of constructing an avant-garde building in a historic and protected site. At times flashy, at times subtle, they respond to the public order with oxymoron. The intervention creates 2,800^{m2 of} museographic spaces, spread over two levels, above an area of technical spaces. The pinnacle of the architectural design, the Visconti courtyard is covered by an extraordinary work that respects the historic facades, adorning them with an element of great originality.ˮ