Musée du Louvre's Cour Visconti, In the heart of Paris, is the 'flying carpet' by French architect Rudy Ricciotti and Italian design icon Mario Bellini. Surrounded by the neoclassical Parisian courtyard facades, it houses the museums Department of Islamic Art, along with over 18,000 works of art, many of which are so delicate they require shading from direct sunlight.
The roof is an undulating, free form design nothing short of magnifique – an architectural masterpiece which is a gentle, sympathetic integration of contemporary architecture in a historic location.
Designed and built by Waagner Biro Steel and Glass, the roof is comprised of 8,000 tubular steel sections supporting tessellated glazed triangles sandwiched between golden shading aluminium panels, covering over 1,700m² and creating a soft floating veil which compliments the historic facades perfectly without overpowering them or detracting from their historical and natural beauty.