Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille

Set on an extraordinary site in Marseilles, the Museum of Civilizations in Europe and the Mediterranean, also known as the MuCem, is an emblematic structure, I just fell in love with.

Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille - Photo by Lisa Ricciotti

An organic facade, out of this world shadows and panoramic views of the sea, are just a few of the unique qualities of this project.

Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille - Photo by Lisa Ricciotti

Architect Rudy Ricciotti, says on his Europaconcorsi, project page:

Floating between the water and sky, at the entrance to the Old Port of Marseille, a national museum opens its doors.

Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille - Photo by Lisa Ricciotti

Open to the sea, it draws a horizon where the two shores of the Mediterranean can meet. Never before has a museum been specifically dedicated to the cultures of the Mediterranean, despite their richness from the perspective of history and civilization.

Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille - Photo by Lisa Ricciotti

Now a reality, the MuCEM will be inaugurated in 2013, at the very moment when Marseille will be the European Capital of Culture.

Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille - Photo by Lisa Ricciotti

More than a museum, a cultural city, drawing on all the disciplines of the humanities and social sciences, mobilizing the artistic expressions of both shores of the Mediterranean.

Rudy Riccioti, MuCEM, Marceille - Photo by Lisa Ricciotti

Upon entering the Gallery of the Mediterranean, on the first floor of the J4 building, the public will discover, over 1,600 m², a presentation of the major events in the history of the civilisations of the Mediterranean basin.

The opening of the museum is scheduled for Spring 2013.

For more stunning photos of this project, visit Europaconcorsi.