Olivier Brochet, the architect behind the new Bonnat Museum in Bayonne and several other prestigious cultural sites, follows only one guiding principle in his work: restoring light. The 69-year-old Bordeaux-based architect explains his role when working with project owners and museum curators, emphasizing that everyone must stay within their proper roles.
Together with his associates Emmanuel Lajus and Christine Pueyo, Brochet founded the BLP agency in 1986, which has become one of Bordeaux's most creative, renowned, and influential architectural firms. While he has stepped back from day-to-day agency operations, Brochet continues to work on projects. He taught for many years at the Bordeaux School of Architecture, where he also served as chairman of the board of directors.
The Bonnat Museum in Bayonne, renovated and expanded according to Brochet's designs, will reopen to the public this November after fourteen years of closure. When asked whether this project was more complicated than other construction sites, Brochet responded that it was neither more nor less challenging than others.
"It's a construction project that, like others, had its share of unexpected issues," Brochet explained. "You start a project like entering a forest where you can sometimes get lost and wonder when and how you'll find your way out. What Bonnat shares with other museums I've designed is that I work within an existing building rather than creating something from scratch. It's an additional constraint, but it suits me and motivates me."
Brochet views existing structures as both an asset and a challenge, which makes the profession fascinating. "You often have to repair things to restore light, which is my common thread in all museum projects," he said.
When asked why repairs are necessary, Brochet explained that architects always face buildings that are like palimpsests, with layers of architecture added and superimposed over time, along with adaptations to contemporary needs and fashions. The Bonnat Museum is no exception to this rule, just like the Orangerie or the Fabre Museum in Montpellier.
"Sometimes we deal with outrages, even attacks on the original architecture, but these were accepted or even applauded in their time," Brochet noted. "The Fabre Museum had concrete floors with pink coating."
He cited what he considers the most striking example: Monet's "Water Lilies" at the Orangerie, which Olivier Lahalle, an otherwise excellent architect of the 1960s, had deprived of natural light. "This didn't shock anyone at the time," Brochet observed.
Brochet expressed one major regret in his career: "My great regret remains the failure of the Bayeux Tapestry competition, which was won by Richard Rogers. I was really very proud of that proposal."
Regarding how he restored light to the Bonnat Museum, Brochet explained that the museum is located in a traditional Bayonne mansion. The article notes that with five months remaining before the reopening deadline, dozens of skilled workers from various trades are bustling around the rich collections that will be displayed to the public, creating what can be described as a genuine human hive of activity.
Brochet's approach to museum renovation emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical layers of a building while prioritizing the restoration of natural light, which he considers essential for properly displaying artworks and creating an optimal visitor experience. His work on the Bonnat Museum represents another chapter in his distinguished career of breathing new life into historic cultural institutions while respecting their architectural heritage.
