Louvre's New €60M Storage Facility in Liévin Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

The Louvre is expanding with a massive storage facility in Liévin, Pas-de-Calais, set to house 250,000 artworks by 2019. Designed by London-based Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, the 20,000-square-meter Centre de Conservation will include 9,600 m² of storage and 1,700 m² for study and restoration. The €60 million project, with €42 million for construction, is funded by the state, local authorities, and €18 million from the European Community. The facility aims to decentralize cultural institutions from Paris, create jobs, and revitalize the Calais region. It will replace over 60 current storage sites vulnerable to Seine flooding, as highlighted by the 2016 flood. The symbolic first stone was laid on December 8 by Culture Minister Françoise Nyssen. The design integrates security with transparency, featuring large windows to connect with the landscape, echoing the nearby Louvre-Lens by Sanaa.