© Ali Shayler
© Ali Shayler
© Ali Shayler
© Ali Shayler
© Ali Shayler
© Ali Shayler
Tete Carree, Nice
Iconic city library in the centre of Nice also known as 'thinking inside the box'
A monumental sculpture standing 28m high, La Tête Carrée looms over one of Nice’s busiest intersections. Meaning “square head”, La Tête Carrée is literally a 14m³ cube with a mouth and chin nested on a rounded pair of shoulders.
Inaugurated in 2002, La Tête Carrée is the work of Sacha Sosno, a French sculptor who spent much time in the company of other celebrated local artists such as Henri Matisse and Yves Klein. It is an iconic building that, at the time, was the first inhabited monumental sculpture in the world. Also titled, “Thinking Inside the Box," the giant square head houses 3 floors of books within the central library, “Bibliothèque Louis Nucera”.
Sitting on the corner of Promenade des Arts, La Tête Carrée looks out over Place Yves Klein from the small but colourful Jardin Maréchal Juin, a public garden crammed full of various bright blooms. Small paths weave in and out of the flowerbeds and there are a couple of other sculptures dotted about.
On the opposite side of the square to La Tête Carrée is a small landscaped area with ornamental fountains and the Acropolis, a large conference and exhibition centre that also houses a bowling alley and cinema.
Look up if you’re passing La Tête Carrée at night, as it is lit from within and you can make out the floors of the library inside.
Visitor comments
- "When driving down the busy road in Nice, you may slam on your brakes and ask "what is this?" The answer is La Tete Carree Library which is a large box shaped sculpture with a man's lower lip, chin and neck as the base and called "Thinking Inside The Box". It is an 85' tall cube shaped sculpture with 3 floors of the library inside. We did not go inside but think it would be fun to look out at the road while people drive by slowly. Best to drive by at night when it is lit up and you can see the floors of books." - Trip Advisor
- "One of the few modern buildings in Nice. Yes, because it's a building, more precise, the offices of Nice's public library. It blends in the modern quarter near the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum, Le Promenade des Arts and the Acropolis Exposition Center." - Trip Advisor
- "This is really strange looking with this multistory building being the face of a person, connected to the neck and shoulders being the base. Haven't been inside, but nice seeing it if on your way" - Trip Advisor
