Location: Bastia, France.

Architect: Daniel Cléris + Jean-Michel Daubourg.

The ‘Palais des Gouverneurs’ is a historic landmark in Bastia, France. It was built in the XVth century and has been used as a court house, prison, fort, and military barrack. After World War II, it served as a museum for the history of the city. The shape of the palace is related to its original purpose, the house of the Governor of Corsica. The project was to establish the geometry of the original quadrilateral construction and close the courtyard.

The design was based on an analysis of the design and proportions of the old building, which was found to be based on an eleven palm module. The oldest and finest part of the palace houses the permanent exhibition on the ground floor and the first floor, while the modern construction contains the lobby and the temporary exhibitions. The underground part of the building has also been renovated, with two huge water tanks situated under the pavement of the courtyard. Openings in the basement allow one to view both tanks from a cantilevered platform.

Photo credit: Luc Boegly.