Paris’s art scene is pretty incomparable – it’s the main reason we picked the French capital as ’s best city in the world for culture this year. And, excitingly, it just got bigger and better, as a blockbuster gallery space has just reopened.
The Grand Palais has been under restoration for the last four years, but now the mega €466 million project led by Chatillon Architectes is finally finished, and its doors have officially reopened.
Originally designed for the Universal Exhibition in 1900 by French architects Henri Deglane, Albert Louvet and Albert Thomas, the Grand Palais represented a blend of Beaux-Arts style and the use of glass and steel (considered modern materials at the time). In the ’60s architect Pierre Vivien led the revamp of the building’s northern wing, which was damaged during the Second World War, but the Chatillon upgrade is the most comprehensive in the building’s history.
So, what’s new? Well, the central nave and its surrounding galleries have been granted a new lease of life. They’ve been reconfigured to accommodate the technical requirements of contemporary exhibitions – until 2030, the Grand Palais will house works from the Centre Pompidou, which closed this year for its own overhaul.
Recommended: The best art galleries in Paris, picked by a local.
The central axis of the Grand Palais from Square Jean Perrin to the Seine has been redone to create a huge public gathering space, and more than 40 lifts and 30 staircases have improved the building’s accessibility.
Alongside its symbolic role as a pioneering example of institutional adaptability, the Grand Palais will offer a broader programme of cultural events beyond traditional exhibitions, including art fairs, public installations and fashion shows.
‘The Grand Palais is no longer an isolated monument; it forms part of a broader cultural context.’ said François Chatillon, the lead architect on the project, according to The Art Newspaper.
There’s a new pedestrian entrance, and brasseries by chefs Thierry Marx and Loulou. But it’s not just the building’s interior that’s been given some TLC. 60,000 new plants have been incorporated into the re-landscaped gardens, which also now boast rainwater harvesting to support its irrigation.
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