Museum of Contemporary Art of Lyon (macLyon)

Lyon’s public Museum of Contemporary Art was first established in 1984, on the initiative of the City authorities, in a wing of the Palais Saint-Pierre. In 1995, the museum moved to the Cité Internationale. Designed by Renzo Piano, this large architectural ensemble stands between the Rhône river and the Parc de la Tête d’Or, on the historic festival site of the Foire de Lyon. The macLYON building preserves this heritage in its park-side façade, which incorporates the front part of the old Palais de la Foire, the main exhibition hall, built in 1920 by architect Charles Meysson. The incorporation of the historical façade into the new architecture reflects an evolution across time that speaks of the continued perseverance of the institution to be relevant to its time.