Architect: Steven Holl

Location: Angers, France.

The Angers Collectors Museum and Hotel relaunches this month and is expected to be completed by 2026.

In the heart of Angers, France, the new Angers Collectors Museum / Le Musée des Collectionneurs and an adjacent hotel will create a new cultural entrance for the city.

Inspired by the Angers Apocalypse Tapestry

On the east bank of the Maine River, across from the Chateau d’Angers, which King Louis IX constructed between 1228 and 1238 on the ruins of a 9th century castle, is where the new Angers Collectors Museum will be located. Taking a section of a curved surface and linking them diagonally, it draws inspiration from the curves of the adjacent castle. White concrete towers are reflected in a series of pools that surround the museum and serve as a visual reminder of the site’s former riverside location.

The Apocalypse Tapestry, which dates back to the 14th century and is on display at the Chateau d’Angers, served as inspiration for the linear hotel that connects the new Museum. A façade that resembles a tapestry is made of clear and translucent glass. A central public sculpture garden is created by the museum and hotel together. The sculpture garden is engaged by the property’s pathways, which also link the city and site to the river.

The 4742 sm, exposed titanium white concrete museum will feature galleries for permanent and temporary exhibitions and a forum event space, and provide spaces for art education and art storage. In addition, it will share a rooftop restaurant with the hotel. Geothermal heating and cooling eliminate fossil fuels, and recycled water fills the reflecting pools.

The New York-based architecture firm is designing the museum and a hotel in the centre of the town in western France for property developers Compagine de Phalsbourg.