JeanMarie Tjibaou Cultural Centre Nouma New Caledonia 1991

Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre Nouméa, New Caledonia 1991 -1998 Renzo Piano Building Workshop Photo: (1)

Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha (8)

Photo: (1) View from east “The return to tradition is a myth… No people has ever achieved that. The search for identity, for a model, I believe lies before us… Our identity is before us. ” - Jean Marie Tjibaou (2) Sketch by Renzo Piano

Photo: (1) The building must be in harmony with its users… When you make the effort to build harmonious buildings, they are almost automatically sustainable too. - Renzo Piano Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha (8)

Site plan Piano sketch of traditional huts.

This hut is like ours, before we put the thatched roof on it… This is not us anymore, but it’s still us. - Kanak elder Eternity is not the building itself, but the way of building it. - William Vassal West elevation Photo: (8)

Natural ventilation configurations under variable wind conditions Photo: (8)

Section Photo: (8) Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha (8)

Data Dimensions of the 10 cases: Size: Small Medium Large Number: 4 3 3 Diameter: 9 m 11 m 13. 5 m Surface area: 63 m 2 95 m 2 140 m 2 Height: 20 m 22 m 28 m Total built surface area: (main building plus cases) 7650 m 2 Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha (8)

Axonometric of joint to curved rib Detailed plan of paired ribs Photo: (8)

Analysis of a Large Case Photo: (8)

Louvred walls of lower elements allow cross ventilation. Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha(8)

Inside one of the cases. They are of three types: for display (as here), performance, and study (8). Café in a large size case Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha(8)

Criteria: Daylighting: Yes Shading: Yes Adaptability to various orientations: Yes Photo: Shigeo Ogawa/ Shinkenchiku-sha(8) User control: Yes Ventilation: Passive only Climate: Hot Aesthetics: Wood and steel structure with glass infill Cost: 200 million French francs Overall thickness of wall: Variable (approximately 1 -2 m)