On 22 November 2014, the Château de Rentilly re-opened on a brand-new scale. Completely enveloped in stainless steel plates, the building acts as a mirror (as well as a contemporary new art space) for the beautiful park in which it stands.

Chateau de Rentilly Makeover

Le Château de Rentilly (Seine-et-Marne), was renovated / transformed by Xavier Veilhan, architects Philippe Bona and Elisabeth Lemercier of Bona-Lemercier and set designer Alexis Bertrand. The old French chateau, now with a shiny mirrored exterior and new interior with sliding walls, serves as both a veritable work of art itself and an ideal venue for the presentation of contemporary art. The historical building now becomes frac île-de-france’s second venue, as part of its multi-site development project, in partnership with the Communauté d’agglomération de Marne-et-Gondoire.

The original exterior:

Undergoing the transformation:

The new exterior:

Since the opening of the Parc culturel de Rentilly in 2006, frac île-de-france has been a partner of the Communauté d’agglomération de Marne et Gondoire, with the goal of developing the contemporary art section.

Inside, the space was designed with concrete floors and sliding walls to accommodate the art:

Frac île-de-france have an exceptional new venue for the regular exhibition of its collection and in addition, organise exhibitions of other public collections, to make this new site become a unique venue in France for the promotion of the contemporary cultural patrimony.

The frac île-de-france** – which is already present in Paris with its own temporary exhibition space, le plateau – exhibits its collection (and will also invite other collections, public or private, French and international) in le château de Rentilly, thus playing with the status of the building: it is at once a sculpture and an exhibition space freely accessible to the public.

The new Château de Rentilly is an expression of the revived focus on the historical legacy and the enthusiasm of the Communauté d’agglomération for art and public commitment.

photos by Florian Kleinefenn, Martin Argyroglo, Vincent Germond, images courtesy of Xavier Veilhan, Wallpaper magazine, Marne et Gondoire , and Fracile de France

More information can be found here. 

* The urban community of Marne et Gondoire
** The Regional Contemporary Art Fund of Île-de-France The rehabilitation work for Le château has been carried out with the support of the ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, the Région Île-de-France and the Département de la Seine-et-Marne.