In the future, everything will be chrome. Or at-least mirror-clad. You'd be almost justified in thinking that, based on a quick survey of contemporary design tropes that are very much in vogue right now. A high degree of reflectivity (ideally paired with a pastoral setting) pretty much guarantees a project will end up as one of the charismatic megafauna of the design media sphere. The recently opened venue of the Île-de-France region's contemporary art fund, a converted 1950s French country house with a new reflective facade, might be one of the most charismatic.
Here's what Château de Rentilly looked like before the efforts of the redesign team, which comprised architecture studio Bona-Lemercier, artist Xavier Veilhan, and set designer Alexis Bertrand.
The converted gallery opened late last month. The new chimney-free roof plateaus to form an open terrace, providing a second level of outdoor space beyond the balcony.
The new interior is outfitted with adjustable volumes that can be reconfigured to meet the needs of different exhibitions. Retractable window panels can also be adjusted to tweak the level of daylight coming in, while original stone blocks peaking out around their edges provide a reminder of the chateau's un-chromified state.
· French country house re-clad with polished mirrored surfaces [Design Boom]