There are few buildings that announce themselves as boldly as Frank Gehry's tower at LUMA Arles. Rising above the ancient Roman city, the shimmering structure has become one of Europe's defining cultural landmarks, where architecture is both a container for art and a work of art itself.
Designed by Frank Gehry for the LUMA Foundation, founded by Maja Hoffmann, the tower transforms a former railway site into a campus dedicated to contemporary art, architecture, research and environmental innovation. Its stainless-steel façade changes constantly with the Provençal light, making every encounter with the building feel different.
Seen during Les Rencontres d'Arles on 5 July 2026, the tower stood as a powerful symbol of how ambitious architecture can renew a historic city while creating space for creativity, dialogue and experimentation.
The COLLECT Perspective
LUMA Arles demonstrates that architecture can do more than house culture. It can shape the way culture is encountered. Gehry's tower creates a striking conversation between the ancient city and a contemporary vision of what an arts institution can become.