Architect Frank Gehry successfully met the challenge of designing the Foundation Louis Vuitton museum, as an institution that tangibly expresses the client’s commitment to art and culture, vis-à-vis 21st century architecture. The building comprises an assemblage of white blocks (known as “the icebergs”) clad in panels of fiber-reinforced concrete and surrounded by twelve immense glass “sails” supported by wooden beams. The sails gives the museum the transparency and sense of movement, while the modular design of the auditorium makes it an ideal venue for novel experiences and artistic encounters for the visitors.

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« A Dream Come True » by Bernard Arnault

The Fondation Louis Vuitton opens an exciting new cultural chapter for Paris. It brings the city a new space devoted to art — especially contemporary art — and above all a place for meaningful exchanges between artists and visitors from Paris, from France, and from the entire world. By encouraging spontaneous dialogue, the new Fondation seeks to inspire both emotion and contemplation.

This is a distinctive cultural initiative because the Fondation is private. It has been made possible thanks to the corporate patronage of LVMH and the Group’s companies, notably Louis Vuitton, reflecting the values shared by all the people of LVMH and its shareholders. The Fondation tran-scends the ephemeral present by creating optimistic momentum and embodying a passion for artistic freedom. It is very much a dream come true. Indeed, the houses of the LVMH Group — Louis Vuitton in particular — have always thrived thanks to the excellence of their creations, and have thus long contributed to an art de vivre steeped in the humanist tradition.

Their success is deeply rooted in our artistic and cultural heritage. For many years I have sought to share this success with artists, creative talents, thinkers, and the general public, especially young people. Since 1991, when Jean-Paul Claverie joined us, LVMH has become one of France’s leading patrons of the arts, providing extensive support for cultural heritage programs and youth outreach initiatives, as well as humanitarian actions. We very early began exploring the idea of a foundation, an institution that would tangibly express our commitment to art and culture. We have never wavered from this course and now, in the autumn of 2014, we have sailed to our destination, making this dream a reality.

Following fruitful collaborations in the 1980s with artists such as Sol LeWitt, César and Olivier Debré, Louis Vuitton initiated a stimulating dialogue between the visual arts and the brand’s own creativity. Bob Wilson, Olafur Eliasson, and Ugo Rondinone decorated Christmas display windows, while Marc Jacobs asked Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, and Yayoi Kusama to work directly on creations for Louis Vuitton. The result was a fresh and vibrant new vision of Louis Vuitton. LVMH’s many years of corporate patronage and Louis Vuitton’s collaborations with artists reso-nate powerfully with my personal passion for artistic creation. This passion is what fueled my decision to build the Fondation Louis Vuitton, bringing Paris a place that not only pays tribute to artists, but at the same time inspires them in a virtuous circle of creativity.

Frank Gehry is one of the greatest architects of our times, and I knew he would meet the challenge of designing an amazing monument of 21st century architecture. He proved a true visionary, embracing the values of excellence and unyielding professionalism that have always defined Louis Vuitton. His building is a veritable masterpiece and is itself the subject of the exhibition on the ground floor of the Fondation, designed specially for the opening by Frédéric Migayrou to offer insights into this remarkable work. This exhibit inspires an enriching dialogue with the retrospective of Frank Gehry’s work currently taking place, with our encouragement, at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Frank Gehry’s building is in fact the first artistic statement by the Fondation, initiating an approach to artistic creativity that debuts with the public opening and will progressively affirm its vocation. The Fondation will devote itself above all to evolving trends in art and to contemporary creation. At the same time, it will propose a sense of historical perspective, notably vis-à-vis 20th century modern art. This will allow visitors to become more familiar with and approach newer creations. Indeed, looking at the past may be the best way to become more receptive to the most unexpected ideas. The Fondation Louis Vuitton invites us to see works and creations that have been collected or commissioned for their relevance to specific preferences and clearly expressed approaches.

Throughout autumn 2014 and in subsequent months, the Fondation will propose a diverse array of activities:

— The permanent collection, comprising works belonging to the Fondation or from my personal collection, will be displayed to emphasize the main identifying lines in a continuum from modern art to contemporary creativity. The collection will make a distinctive impression on visitors centered on a fundamental criterion, namely the ability to convey distinct viewpoints, whether transient or enduring, through individual works of art.

— Temporary exhibitions will be organized in conjunction with other public and private institutions, as well as private collections, with direct participation by the artists themselves.

— The Fondation will also welcome music, beginning with an inaugural performance by pianist Lang Lang and continuing with pioneering electronic band Kraftwerk in the Auditorium, a true jewelbox where canvases commissioned from Ellsworth Kelly are hung. Tarek Atoui and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster have been invited as well for performances in other spaces in the building. The modular design of Auditorium makes this an ideal venue for novel experiences and artistic encounters. The Fondation will of course welcome young audiences, as LVMH has done for years through our educational programs.

For the opening exhibition, the Fondation Louis Vuitton invites visitors on a “voyage of creativity” through a discovery of the architecture and emblematic works from the permanent collection, including creations by Frank Gehry to Gerhard Richter via Thomas Schütte, Pierre Huyghe, Christian Boltanski, Ellsworth Kelly, Olafur Eliasson, Sarah Morris, Adrián Villar Rojas, Bertrand Lavier, Taryn Simon, and many others. Each of them has contributed to the dynamics of our approach. I could never fully express our gratitude for their help in realizing the artistic endeavor led by Suzanne Pagé, with her widely-recognized experience and inventiveness, supported by the engagement of her entire team.

I would like to thank each of our visitors for the personal spirit of discovery that has drawn them here. My most sincere hope is that we are able to share the enthusiasm that has motivated all those who helped make this extraordinary project a reality.

I am reminded of something Picasso once said that might well have served as our inspiration throughout this project: “Art wipes the soul clean of the dust of everyday life. A cleansed soul restores enthusiasm, and enthusiasm is what we — and future generations — need most.”

Bernard Arnault President of the Fondation Louis Vuitton

The majestic design of the building was attained through the close evaluation of every single planning and construction detail of the auditorium. The Poltrona Frau Contract Division developed the highly customized interior design solutions resulting from a combination of its long artisanal tradition and its ongoing research into technology and materials. The main auditorium, equipped with 340 customized seats was supplied by Poltrona Frau. “We are very proud of our long partnership with Frank Gehry”, comments Kurt Wallner, Managing Director of the Contract Division at Poltrona Frau.

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Poltrona Frau Contract and Frank Gehry together again for the Louis Vuitton Foundation

The partnership between the architect and Poltrona Frau’s Contract Division goes back a long way: their first joint project dates to 1997 for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

The Louis Vuitton Foundation project is the sixth in the series and consolidates this fruitful collaboration centred on the joint study of the most cutting-edge interior design solutions that can turn every event in the auditorium into a unique experience for both musicians and the public.

The Louis Vuitton Foundation, opened to the public from the 27th of October, will become a new creative hub for French and international artists. It will host temporary exhibitions, galleries and permanent collections, and the main auditorium, equipped with 340 customised seats supplied byPoltrona Frau, will be used for a wide range of events and shows.

“We are very proud of our long partnership with Frank Gehry”, comments Kurt Wallner, Managing Director of the Contract Division at Poltrona Frau. “Each Gehry project is completely unique and represents a new challenge that we are only too eager to accept.”

The building is located in Paris, in the Bois de Boulogne, in one of the biggest parks on the west side of Paris, and stands out for its imposing majesty, a complex structure of glass floors that seems to rewrite the rulebook to create new conceptions of space. A cloud, a ship, an iceberg: there are numerous different ways of interpreting the structure, a kind of autobiography of the multi-talented and charming Frank Gehry in glass, cement and wood.

The Foundation’s mission is to promote and encourage the creativity of contemporary artists both in France and across the globe, and to get as many people as possible interested in art and culture.

The interior design project was also developed with these goals in mind.

An iconic project and a majestic piece of design, attained through the close evaluation of every single planning and construction detail of the auditorium. ThePoltrona Frau Contract Division demonstrated that it was up to the task,highlighting its ability to supply highly customised interior design solutions resulting from a combination of its long artisanal tradition and its ongoing research into technology and materials.

The Landscape designers collaborated with the Architect Frank Gehry for the landscape design.It began by extending the architect’s approach: an edifice emerging from the border edge of between wood and garden, a building crossing the space, a pool outside the building and vegetation interweaving with the architecture and roof gardens. Following Barillet-Deschamps’s historical design, new itineraries have been created: large winding avenues to link the different entities leading up to a promontory, going around a grove, offering views through the trees. A vault is also created under which the building emerges.

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Architecture and landscape

The choice of theJardin d’Acclimatationas the site for a new creation by architect Frank Gehrywas a wonderful opportunity: the oneiric and picturesque garden has inspired organic and fantastical architecture.

Collaborating with one of the greatest architects in the world is an extraordinary adventure. Landscape designers and architects worked hand in hand, each following their specific logic in their respective fields. On one side, there is creation that is ultra-contemporary, and on the other, a picturesque world steeped in history. The point of the landscape design for the Fondation was not simply to surround the building but to redefine a logic, a sequence, and a setting that relates to the different facets of the building.

The first sketches were more interested in the general landscape than in interfaces with the parapet, in a “remote” version, working to recreate a relation between the different garden spaces around the building. The main subject being architecture, we had to find a common language. We love this “deconstructed” architecture, this way of bringing a landscape into being and thus creating a universe. The idea was not to develop the concept of a garden but to take advantage of the prodigious power of this architecture in order to prolong the history of the site.

The question of the building’s viewswas the starting point for the exchanges between those in France and Gehry’s team in Los Angeles. In order to establish a landscaping strategy on a par with the architecture, we began by extending the architect’s approach: an edifice emerging from the borderedgeofbetween wood and garden, a building crossing the space, a pool outside the building, like the main lake, and vegetation interweaving with the architecture, with roof gardens.

A garden is above all a place to stroll around in, a natural place withwalks offering vistas and approaches, ways of crossing it,ofandexperiencing its various ambiences and sensing its atmosphere.

Following or extending Barillet-Deschamps’s historical design, new itineraries have been created that are conducive to a kinetic approach to the building: the visitor must have a vision of the “object” as a surprise in a succession of changing views, as he or she moves through the garden.

Large, winding avenues are designed to link the different entities, leading up to a promontory, going around a grove, offering views through the trees. A vault is created under which the building emerges. This network forms “full” and “empty” spaces.

Echoing the Fondation, the great clearing has become the central element, a vast open space in front of the building, in line with the bridge crossing the river and not the building itself, which deliberately “juts out.”

Hess Timber produced and delivered the glulam parts for 12 single canopy constructions for the museum of the foundation Louis Vuitton. The total of 779 m3 glulam was provided with 222 single and double curved glulam beams of lengths up to 28.2 m and dimensions of (40 x 40 cm – 40 x 120 cm.). There are Mounted duplex steel parts: ca. 270 t and multiple glazes on the ground surface.

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Production and delivery of the glulam parts for 12 single canopy constructions („canvas“) for a museum of the Louis Vuitton foundation in Paris.

- 222 single and double curved glulam beams - 40 x 40 cm – 40 x 120 cm - Mounted duplex steel parts: ca. 270 t - Ground surfaces, multiple glaze - Total volume: 779 m³ glulam - Beam lengths up to 28,2 m

Boon Edam installed tourniquets revolving doors in the new part of the building.They supplied four identical tourniquet revolving doors, of which two are placed on the north side and rest two on the south entrance.Installation of these doors is one of the many sustainable factors implemented while designing the building, and with its focus on sustainability; the building formed the perfect pilot project for a new sustainability certificate for cultural buildings,developed by HQE®,The High Quality Environmental Standard (HQE).

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On the 27th of October the Fondation Louis Vuitton opened its doors to the public after extensive renovations that started in 2008. The Fondation Louis Vuitton aims to promote art and culture and houses a permanent collection of works of art from the personal collection of Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH. As part of the modern new building, Boon Edam installed four Tourniket revolving doors.

A Unique Building

The building was designed by the American-Canadian architect Frank Gehry who is known for his design for the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain. Situated in the Jardin d'Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, France, this 48m high glass building is shaped like a sail boat with sails inflated by the wind. The complicated design consists of 3,584 tailor made glass panels with a total surface of 13,500 m2 and a door overhang of more than 20 m.

A Sustainable Building

The project's focus on sustainability made it the perfect pilot project for a new sustainability certificate for cultural buildings, developed by HQE®. The High Quality Environmental Standard (HQE) is the French standard for green building, based on international principles for sustainable development. The installation of revolving doors is one of the many examples in which sustainable design and development were incorporated in this building.

The four Tourniket revolving doors were supplied by Boon Edam and are all identical. Two were placed at the North side of the building and two on the South entrance.

TAW Weisse international provided for intensive coordination with the teams in charge of the structural engineering, the façade design and the architects to ensure the accessibility of all facades and technical equipment. They developed a specific maintenance program which concatenated each of the areas and equipment items in need of maintenance with the provisions, periodicities and access techniques. The maintenance program enabled the owner to carry out a well-structured and methodical maintenance while taking full advantage of all saving potentials and synergy effects.

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The extremely complex geometry of the building required the development and engineering of access solutions so as not to impair the first-class appearance of the building design and also to ensure the accessibility of all facades and technical equipment. To be able to successfully accomplish this task, TAW Weisse international, starting at the earliest stage of the project, had to take all necessary steps providing for intensive coordination with the teams in charge of the structural engineering, the façade design and the architects.

With a view to the numerous and varied tasks involved and the methodical utilization of the various access techniques, the maintenance to be performed upon completion of this building raised a particular challenge. To this end, we have developed for this building a specific maintenance program, which concatenates each of the areas and equipment items in need of maintenance with the provisions, periodicities and access techniques defined.

This maintenance program will enable the owner to carry out a well-structured and methodical maintenance while taking full advantage of all saving potentials and synergy effects.

THIS MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WILL ENABLE THE OWNER TO CARRY OUT A WELL-STRUCTURED AND METHODICAL MAINTENANCE WHILE TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF ALL SAVING POTENTIALS AND SYNERGY EFFECTS

The foundation Louis Vuitton museum is covered by glass sails, supported on stainless steel mullions upon a structural-steel and glulam main frame. BDS VirCon detailed out the stainless steel mullions along with the glulam timber beams, glazing fixing plates, main frame and locating base frames. “It was a unique BIM project, as the only actual drawings produced were those for the fabrication of parts and assemblies; all other information was provided between each project party from the 3D modeling process. Our knowledge of how to get the most out of Tekla software, along with a client willing to work with us in providing the right information to all parties involved, was what made this project a success”, says Ian Belcher, UK Manager of BDS VirCon.

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> Looking at the very first sketches by Frank Gehry for Fondation Louis Vuitton, a new museum of contemporary art near Paris, the challenge of the endeavour is apparent. This is the kind of building that would not have been possible to construct without a comprehensive approach to BIM.

> The museum is covered by glass sails, supported on stainless steel mullions upon a structural-steel and glulam main frame. The 12 sails form a cloudlike collection of canopies

“A unique BIM project; information was provided between each project party from the 3D modelling process.” - Ian Belcher, BDS VirCon

DRAWING S ONLY FOR FABRICATION > Steel fabricator Eiffage Construction Métallique contracted BDS VirCon to detail out the stainless steel mullions along with the glulam timber beams, glazing fixing plates, main frame and locating base frames. “This was a unique BIM project, as the only actual drawings produced were those for the fabrication of parts and assemblies; all other information was provided between each project party from the 3D modelling process,” says Ian Belcher, UK Manager of BDS VirCon. “Our knowledge of how to get the most out of Tekla software, along with a client willing to work with us in providing the right information to all parties involved, was what made this project a success.” Gehry Partners delivered 3D requirements via Digital Project™ to Eiffage for the structural design, then from this data the exchange files were issued to BDS for importing into Tekla for BIM collaboration and detailing. The steel and timber model appears to float above the ‘Icebergs’, a concrete and steel framework covered with ceramic tiles.

“The supply of intricate drawings for fabrication, had to be supplemented with electronic files and 3D data exchange files.” - Ian Belcher, BDS Vircon

INFORMATION FOR AUTOMATION FROM THE MODEL > ”The nature and intent of the project setting meant that the 3D interfacing between software tools had to be the only way forward,” says Belcher. Even with the supply of intricate drawings for fabrication, they had to be supplemented with electronic files and 3D data exchange files. On top of the CAM files for part fabrication via automated machines, BDS supplied 3D drawing files to aid setting out and quality-controlling the node points. The multiple curved glass surfaces of each sail meant that the stainless-steel mullion supports had to follow these curves and transoms’ spacer beams with varied end-plate rotations. Eiffage were able to automate the fabrication of these members with the aid of Tekla and BDS, as the required information could be created from the model to drive these machines.

> Over its 50 year history BDS VirCon has gained vast experience over numerous iconic projects working with owners, engineers, fabricators, general contractors and EPCM firms. Ongoing investment in research have given a capability to deliver innovative Building Information Modelling and Detailing services for challenging projects. www.bdsvircon.com

MAINTAINING TOLERANCES FROM THE MODEL > BDS VirCon imported the Digital Project data into Tekla via the industry standard IFC format for all items, and in addition, the drawing files for the centreline of all curved items. These files also indicated the change in radius of each member, with a point at the start, middle and end of the radius, which they were able to replicate into the Tekla model and onto fabrication drawings. Rolling drawings were dimensioned accordingly, but BDS also supplied CAM files for the rolling process. Into the workshop, in addition to the normal CAM and 2D information, BDS supplied 3D drawings of all node blocks, so that during fabrication, the surveying equipment could be utilised in maintaining tolerances required for the project. Files were also supplied for the glulam manufacturer for use in the shaping and drilling of the timber beams. "The only items that did not come directly from the Tekla model happened to be the twisted or corkscrewed glulam beams, which were supplied directly from the Digital Projects software,” Belcher explains.

STRUCTURAL CORE OF CONCRETE AND STEEL > The museum’s structural core consists of a series of solid volumes called icebergs, which support the floating glass canopies covering the entire building. Structurally, the icebergs were designed as concrete and steel frameworks. The façade is covered with ca. 16.000 ceramic tiles. Every single element has a unique geometry in order to follow the smooth lines and various facets of the façade. Over 2000 aluminium wall panels were designed and fabricated in order to obtain a support structure for the ceramic tiles. Each of these panels follows exactly the outside geometry of the façade surface and contains stiffening elements located underneath every joint between the ceramic tiles. The panels are connected to the steel or concrete structure by means of specifically designed spacers.

AUTOMATED PRODUCTION OF PANELS > In order to keep the process for the aluminium cladding panels fabricated by Iemants Staalconstructies acceptable, both economically and technically, detailer company POUMA developed specific software tools, which resulted in a highly automated production process. Starting with the input derived from the designers’ 3D models in Digital Project, all relevant geometrical data was imported into Grasshopper/Rhino. This software environment allowed the detailer to develop tools that could be used to semi-automatically generate each individual panel, including a large amount of detailing. Geometrically correct panels with joints and all necessary detailing were imported from Grasshopper into Tekla using open API, causing almost no additional fine-tuning for each unique panel. Due to the complex geometry, building up workshop drawings demanded a specific approach. Using scribing lines, CNC-driven export files and control coordinates, the steel contractor was able to assemble the panels so that fabrication tolerances were limited to the minimum. Workshop drawings were fully automated, dimensioning and coordinate-list included. "Through this automated approach, different teams on different locations were able to collaborate simultaneously, following equal standards,” said Ilka Mans, Project Engineer at POUMA.

> Pouma is a specialised engineering and consulting company, founded in 2008 by a team of enthusiastic professionals. With a history of fabrication and construction design of complex building structures. www.pouma.be

> The facade is covered with about 16,000 ceramic tiles (Ductal) supported by over 2000 aluminium wall panels. > Every single element has a unique geometry in order to follow the smooth lines and various facets of the facade.

NEW MODEL SERVER SYSTEM > Gehry stands for iconic architectural projects characterised by non-repetitive and complex geometries. In this project, Gehry Technologies implemented a new digital project delivery system for the 3D design and data exchange needed for BIM collaboration: the model server system was custom developed with version control, concurrent distribution, and tracking. The project’s organisation chart was mapped onto the model structure to become the work-packaging plan. This allowed natural mapping to a file structure, which was connected to versioning tools in the computing cloud. Complex information was easily accessible to all participating teams. This kind of implementation represents early steps towards a truly cloud or grid-centric approach to AEC collaboration. Beyond the project, these processes provide a sample set of services. The flexible use and development of tools for model collaboration break technological and organisational barriers and help accelerate design cycles.

ROOFTOP - TECHNICAL CHALLENGE

This eye-catching building is the magnificent result of the dialogue between commissioning party Bernard Arnault, owner of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy group and the Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry.

The finish of the five rooftop terraces, with a total surface area of more than 1400 m2, was an unprecedented technical challenge for Zoontjens. The original choice was a natural stone slab on slab supports that complied with the normal standards and requirements for any construction project. The selected slab also met the aesthetic requirements, but proved unsuitable as a durable protection for the underlying roof covering structure. In addition, the slab floor had to be strong enough to withstand a load of 20 kN per slab, because of the movements and the support arms of the caterpillar vehicles.

Because natural stone on its own is not strong enough to support the static and dynamic forces of the reach systems, Zoontjens proposed an alternative solution: concrete slabs with a natural stone top layer glued to the concrete, installed on, specially produced, DNS®Heavy. The slabs are large in size – measuring 900 mm x 500 mm and with a thickness of between 130 mm and 170 mm, depending on the individual rooftop terrace.

This solution was specially developed for this prestigious project, and fully remained within the project specifications. Both the aesthetic requirements of the architect and client are fulfilled, as are the technical requirements of the contractor and the consultants.

The aim of the Louis Vuitton Foundation is to encourage and promote artistic creation both nationally and internationally. The building’s exceptional architecture is the work of Franck Gehry. Situated within its walls, “Le Franck” Restaurant is directed by renowned, Michelin-star chef Jean Louis Nomicos. Our Emea stools are there, participating in the history of this incredible place…

The foundation Louis Vuitton museum project by Architect Frank Gehry used the quality of the Italian products. For the external flooring, an Italian edging profile in steel by Progress Profiles has been chosen; the product is PROFLEX ACC, a new stainless steel expansion joint with interchangeable rubber insert. It is available in black, grey, beige and ivory and its particular structure protects the edges of tiles, while its exceptional strength makes it capable of supporting frequent traffic; both pedestrian and vehicular.

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FINISHES MADE IN ITALY FOR THE LOUIS VUITTON FONDATION’S FLOORING

The majestic project by Gehry used the quality of the Italian’s products

The Louis Vuitton Fondation has been launched on Monday, the new space of the Maison for modern art in the Jardin d’Acclimatation, in the heart of Paris.

The project of the new museum, a massive ‘iceberg’ made of glass and steel, is one of the most important and complex of the current European architectonical landscape and it has already been chosen as symbol of the XXI century.

Architect Frank Gehry wanted a structure that expressed lightness and transparency as an enormous cloud. For the external flooring has been chosen an Italian edging profile in steel by Progress Profiles, leader in Italy in the production, design and selling of furniture profiles. The quality of Made in Italy does not know crisis and has not rivals, because It is synonym of beauty and luxury, passion, creativity and above all quality.

The product used is PROFLEX ACC, a new stainless steel expansion joint with interchangeable rubber insert, available in black, grey, beige and ivory. Its particular structure allows to protect the edges of tiles, and its exceptional strength makes it capable of supporting frequent traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular.

The building contains the glass roofs with 12 unique curved glass sails, 3,600 unique panels with total of over 13,300 Sq m of glass roof area. The 12 unique sails were constructed considering the glass formulation, including the transparency/translucency, color, coating and the interlayer. Glazing panels were made using SentryGlas and it was further complemented by the specification of Dow Corning® 993 Silicone Structural Glazing Sealant, which provided a strong high performing bond between the glass and the frame. Whereas, the Dow Corning® 791 Weatherproofing Silicone was specified in order to seal the wide expansion joints between the complex arrays of bent glass units.

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Fondation Louis Vuitton deploys SentryGlas® and Dow Corning Silicone to float like a sailboat above the treeline of the Bois de Boulogne in Paris

SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer and Dow Corning Silicone has played a critical role in one of Europe’s most striking architectural constructions. The Fondation Louis Vuitton, situated in the Jardin d'Acclimatation on the northern edge of the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, deploys arguably one of the most fascinating glass roofs ever seen, with 12 unique, curved glass sails emerging above the treeline like a sailboat.

Fondation Louis Vuitton deploys SentryGlas® and Dow Corning Silicone to float like a sailboat above the treeline of the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.

Built at the behest of Bernard Arnault, a French businessman, art collector and chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LVMH, the building expands outwards from a central area into various galleries, referred to as chapels, with the whole structure covered by sails of white glass, inspired by the glass architecture of the end of the 19th century. Designed by American architect Frank Gehry, the LVMH group created the Fondation Louis Vuitton to promote and support contemporary artistic creation for a wide French and international audience. It offers some 7,000 m2 of usable floor space, comprising 3,850 m2 of museum space, 11 exhibition galleries and a 360 to 1,000 seat auditorium.

In total there is over 13,300 m2 of glass roof area, comprising 3,600 unique panels, each exhibiting different bend radii (from almost flat to 3 m) and different bending orientation – from the primary perpendicular axes – of -90 to 90°. Almost all of them presented a fascinating challenge to the multifaceted architectural and engineering teams tasked with designing, fabricating, testing, validating and installing them. Initial development work centred around the feasibility of actually constructing the 12 unique sails coupled with investigations into the physical formulation and appearance of the glass panels, all of which had to offer long-term durability for what is a project that relies a great deal on its striking aesthetics. Many factors were considered in the glass formulation, including the transparency/translucency, the colour, the coating and of course the all-important interlayer. Given the complexity of the sails and their multiple facets, all of which required unique geometries, glazing panels made using SentryGlas® were the obvious solution.

The major challenge was the creation of the unique geometries for each glass panel. Hot bent panels, fabricated using moulding were immediately dismissed as it would have meant an individual mould for each panel and this would have been prohibitively expensive. The cooling process would also have annealed the glass making it weaker than tempered glass and prone to breakage from thermal shock. Cold bending proffered a similar number of disadvantages, primarily due to the high degree of curvature demanded by some of the panels. The solution came from the latest glass-bending machines that can bend with various radii and temper glass panels without the use of moulds.

Nevertheless, a strong limitation of these machines is that they can only produce circular cylindrical shapes for the panels; a special geometrical optimisation has been therefore developed to best fit the cylindrical panels to the original architectural shape. Eventually, Sunglass, the contractor that provided the glass panels for the building, was able to modify one of its bending ovens so that it could produce glass panels with two different bending radii. This additional degree of freedom allowed a better matching of the original design shape.

The panels comprise 6 mm (0.24 inch) tempered glass, a 1.52 mm (0.06 inch) SentryGlas® interlayer and 8 mm (0.31 inch) tempered glass, with the 6 mm panel also incorporating a reflective coating and a 50% opacity white frit on its internal face. This optimum glass formulation was complemented by the specification of Dow Corning® 993 Silicone Structural Glazing Sealant which provides a strong high performing bond between glass and frame and enables an aesthetically pleasing pure glass sail. To seal the exceptionally wide expansion joints between the complex array of bent glass units, Dow Corning® 791 Weatherproofing Silicone was specified. Both products show excellent chemical compatibility to the SentryGlas® interlayer which is an important aspect as there is a direct contact. Multiple tests were undertaken to assess the effectiveness and longevity of interlayer/sealant combinations, in order to give architects and laminators an idea of the best combination for specific applications. No less than 16 one- and two-part sealants from Dow Corning have been tested, along with many others from seven other major manufacturers. And it is these test results give the engineers the facts they need upon which to base their laminate/ sealant-combination decisions.

Frit compatibility is also vital to the performance of the glass make up. When a fritted surface comes into contact with the glass laminate interlayer, it is important to verify the lasting compatibility between the frit and the interlayer. These combinations are also tested in terms of visual defects and adhesion to ensure that no measurable differences are found.

It was the incorporation of SentryGlas® that allowed the panels to be fabricated to the desired thickness and, due to their unique construction the façade builder and glass manufacturer performed all the necessary French certifications for this particular panel composition. Although mandated by local building legislation, SentryGlas® has been proven time and again in many applications to offer enhanced safety for overhead glazing and skylights.

“Our main goal for the glass mechanical performance was to maximize its resistance as well as its flexibility, in order to limit the stress induced by the flexibility of the supports or the use of cold bending for shape adaptation,” explains Jacques Raynaud from RFR/TESS, temporary partnership responsible for the conception engineering. “The SentryGlas® interlayer helped to achieve a good result as it allowed a reduction in the thickness of the glass panels (and therefore their inertia) thanks to its good capacity of shear transfer between glasses. It also allowed us to use fully tempered glass for both sheets, thanks to its very good post breakage resistance.”

The building, which started construction in 2008, was completed in October 2014, with the all-important glass sails being added in 2012. The teams participating in its construction have been awarded several architectural awards, both in France and in the U.S. According to Bernard Arnault: “We wanted to present Paris with an extraordinary space for art and culture, and demonstrate daring and emotion by entrusting Frank Gehry with the construction of an iconic building for the 21st century.” With SentryGlas®, advanced engineering and an incredible vision, this extraordinary space has certainly been achieved.