Day Five - Paris 2015 Louis Vuitton Foundation

It’s the first privately funded major cultural institution in France. Museums, opera houses, and the like are generally considered the domain of government bureaucracy in France. But LVMH managed to sidestep the usual objections by building the structure in a public park. In an agreement with the city for the plot, ownership of the museum will revert to Paris in 55 years. Even though the ostentatious design rankled a NIMBY group, the museum is, in essence, a gift to the city worth a reported $134 million. 

The building counts twelve immense glass sails, joining a longstanding tradition of glass architecture in Paris, including the Grand Palais. Frank Gehry also drew inspiration from the Palais d’Hiver and the Palmarium, two glass and steel structures that graced the Jardin d’Acclimatation in the 19th century, bringing Parisians opportunities for discovery and elegant promenades.

http://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en.html