Supported by France’s regional administrations, the FRAC centers are emblematic buildings that are home to public collections of contemporary art. They host exhibitions showcasing self-owned pieces as well as works on loan from other institutions. The project of the contemporary art center (FRAC) for the region of Provence Alpes Cotes d’Azur (PACA) is located in Marseille on a triangular plot by the sea. Its urban situation at the intersection of main city streets generates a recognizable image that addresses the two contexts: on Vicent Leblanc street a low-rise volume houses exhibition spaces and a documentation center while a small tower with auditorium and children’s workshops looks out onto Dunkerque Boulevard. Between them a public terrace marks the divide between both pieces and becomes an urban viewpoint.

The project is inspired by the ‘museum without walls’ proposed by André Malraux, the famous French writer and politician. It is a museum without a museum, a living and moving place, where the art pieces are in a constant movement and join the logic of diffusion and interaction with the visitors.