Gehry’s most sun-struck experiment: a fractured metal tower erupting from a repurposed rail yard like a geological event.
Experimental cultural complex in Arles, France.
Featured in Frank Gehry's definitive monograph, Building Art: Life and Work of Frank Gehry.
Visitor Guide
Start with the tower terraces for orientation, then dive into the former industrial buildings—LUMA makes more sense when you read it as a campus, not a lone icon.
Parc des Ateliers—stand on the main axis facing the tower; late afternoon to sunset for maximal shimmer and the most violent shadow cuts.
Yes. The landscaped park and several features (including tower access elements like terraces and certain installations) can be free; exhibitions may require reservation and can be ticketed depending on season/program. Typical tower/exhibition hours often run 10:00–18:00, closed Mondays and Tuesdays (confirm day-of).
This isn’t just 'a Gehry': it’s an adaptive-reuse masterclass wrapped around a new object—industrial archaeology + digital-age form making in one site.
2–4 hours
Design & Structure
Gehry Partners’ digitally mediated workflow: complex surface intent rationalized into buildable panel systems, coordinated with reused industrial structures and new circulation. The project is as much phasing and campus planning as it is tower geometry.
Reflective metal cladding (to weaponize Provençal light) plus robust concrete/steel structure; reused industrial masonry/steel in the ateliers for contrast and continuity.
A vertically stacked, irregular massing where wind, torsion, and cladding tolerances become the real engineering battle—made harder by integrating a new icon into an old industrial fabric.
See Together
Buildings that pair well with LUMA Arles — they're nearby or share a compelling architectural conversation.
More by Frank Gehry
View all →
Yale University
Princeton University
Hennessy
University of Cincinnati
The Guardian
Yale New Haven Hospital
Nearby in Arles
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed LUMA Arles?+
LUMA Arles was designed by Frank Gehry and completed in 2013. It is located in Arles, France.
Where is LUMA Arles located?+
LUMA Arles is located in Arles, France. Its coordinates are 43.6733°, 4.6369°.
When was LUMA Arles built?+
LUMA Arles was completed in 2013. It was designed by Frank Gehry.
Can I visit LUMA Arles?+
LUMA Arles is a real building in Arles that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.