The most ambitious of them is the project of the branch of the main museum of France, Louvre II, which is also known as Louvre-Lens, after the mining town in northern France, where it will be located, which has been developed for about 5 years. The building, designed by the SANAA bureau, will be built over an abandoned coal mine, on a small hill. Therefore, in order not to disturb the existing appearance of the landscape, it is designed in the form of five one-storey pavilions made of glass and polished aluminum, which should merge with the surroundings. The Louvre II is intended not only to revive Lance, which is in decline after the closure of mines in the middle of the 20th century, but also to complement the Parisian museum complex as an educational, popularization center. His exhibitions and other projects should be aimed primarily at enlightening the widest sections of the public. Reserves and restoration workshops will also be available for inspection: both from the bypass galleries specially arranged above them, and through excursions. The central place in the museum will be occupied by the "Gallery of Time", where works from the Louvre collection will be exhibited in chronological order, but without taking into account geographical and stylistic principles.
In London, construction has begun on a new building for the Tate Modern Gallery - Tate Modern 2: like the main building, it was designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The work began with the adaptation of three underground reservoirs for oil, where the power plant's fuel was stored before turning it into a museum, into spaces for exhibitions and performances (a new structure will be erected directly above them). Piles are also driven in - both for the new building and for strengthening the main building of the gallery, in particular, its famous Turbine Hall. The Tate Modern 2, a brick ziggurat with halls with a total area of 5,000 m2, is expected to be completed in time for the 2012 Olympics.
A more modest and less unambiguous project - a new building for Birmingham Central Library - also began construction in January 2010. This Mecano building will replace an existing 1970s Brutalist building - an interesting enough example of this style to be preserved. But the proposal to grant it the status of a monument was rejected by the Minister of Culture, who in this case is the last resort.
