Snøhetta's proposal for Lascaux IV
The Norwegian architects set out to make the most of the site much as Homo sapiens once exploited the contours of the rock to compose his paintings. The gesture takes the form of an incision at the foot of the Lascaux hill, creating a steeply sloping fissure that offers a glimpse of the path to knowledge. It opens towards the village of Montignac, to the north, from where visitors will arrive.
The scheme stood out for its staging, orchestrated by the English scenographer Casson Mann. Once inside the building, visitors are asked to leave their smartphones and tablets behind and put on an "explorer's cape" and take an interactive torch.
The visit begins with an ascent of more than 10 metres to the belvedere, a grassed roof whose structure is built up from a stack of limestone. From here begins an auditory and olfactory experience that takes us back to the time of Homo sapiens.
The tour continues along a descending path leading to the facsimile, an exact reproduction of the original Lascaux cave. Visitors thus step into the shoes of the explorers who discovered the site in 1940. Plunged into darkness, they will use their torch to examine the cave walls.
On leaving, visitors enter the cave garden. This educational space presents a series of fragments of the Lascaux cave. The architects have treated it in a almost sacred manner, with natural overhead lighting tracing a rock fissure across the roof. Visitors can explore further using their interactive tablet, and so personalise the content of their visit.
The fourth zone, known as the "Theatre of Parietal Art", revisits the evolution of humankind up to the present day. It is followed by the Room of Domes, which examines paintings from around the world. It also includes a projection room.
Visitors then move on to a confrontation between parietal art and modern art. This room will be entirely lined with interactive panels. It brings the visit to an end, opening onto the brasserie and the open-air restaurant. I now invite you to discover the project that came second.
Gallery
7 images- © Snøhetta
- © MIR
- © Casson Mann
Also available in FrançaisDeutsch
