Parisians have not always been welcoming to modern architecture. The city itself underwent massive urban restructuring in the mid-19th century during the rule of Napoléon III and overseen by Prefect Baron Haussmann. It wasn’t until a century later that the city experienced another wave of ‘modernism’, mostly relegated outside the city centre in the La Défense business district, although a few modern buildings popped up intramuros, such as the eclectic Centre Pompidou and the predominantly unpopular Tour Montparnasse. The 1980s and 90s saw the arrival of Les Grands Projets, a series of large scale building works instigated by President Mitterrand, including the Bibliothèque Nationale, the Opera Bastille, the Pyramid of the Louvre and the Grand Arche de la Défense. But how has the cityscape changed since then? From designs by Jean Nouvel to the return of Renzo Piano, here are the most notable examples of contemporary architecture in Paris built since the start of the 21st century.
Photo Credit: Fondation Louis Vuitton
Fondation Louis Vuitton – Frank Gehry (2014)
The recent building that has received the most unanimous praise from critics and citizens alike is this gleaming art centre nestled within the Bois de Boulogne woods at the western edge of Paris. In true Gehry form, mammoth curvaceous glass panels on wooden frames, nicknamed the “sails”, are at the forefront; these sit atop white blocks, or “icebergs”, which seem to float in pools of water. The sleek building hosts temporary exhibits revolving around the works of the Louis Vuitton fashion house collection, however, the building itself is well-worth visiting in its own right.
Photo Credit: Philharmonie de Paris
Philharmonie de Paris – Jean Nouvel (2015)
No other architect has left their mark on modern Paris than Jean Nouvel. His latest Parisian building, la Philharmonie de Paris, located within the Parc de la Villette in northeastern Paris, certainly does not leave one indifferent. Created for the Symphony Orchestra of Paris, Nouvel paid particular attention to its 2,400 seat-auditorium, which has a central stage encircled by undulating tiers of seating to bring the audience as close to the musicians as possible. The eye-catching metallic exterior is enveloped in 265,000 aluminium birds which appear to swirl up around the building, perhaps dancing to the music performed within?
Photo Credit: Tribunal de Paris
Tribunal de Paris – Renzo Piano (2018)
Forty years after designing the Centre Pompidou in tandem with Richard Rogers, Italian architect Renzo Piano’s return to the Parisian architecture scene was not met with as much enthusiasm as the iconic modern art museum. The tallest building constructed in Paris since the 56-story Tour Montparnasse was completed in 1973, the new 38-floor Paris court house shimmers on the northwest fringes of the city, so much so, that the building almost goes unnoticed. The glass tower makes up for its lacklustre looks courtesy of its sustainability facilities including solar panels, enhanced thermal insulation, rainwater collection and other cutting edge eco-friendly technology.
Photo Credit: la Seine Musicale
La Seine Musicale – Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines (2017)
Located in a crook of the Seine off of the southwestern suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt, the former industrial island of Île Seguin, was given new life thanks to this dazzling concert hall. A play on words blending its location and its purpose, La Seine Musicale was a collaboration between French architect Jean de Gastines and Japanese Shigeru Ban, winner of the prestigious Pritzker Prize. The oval-shaped structure is encased in glass sexagons and is hugged by a curved grouping of solar panels which creates a dramatic effect akin to a musical crescendo. The auditorium is equally impressive, with a ceiling of wooden honey-combs mirroring the exterior panels. Even if you don’t get to see the interior during one of its concerts or dance performances, a tour of the exterior still impresses.
Photo Credit: Cité de la Mode et Design
La Cité de la Mode et du Design / Les Docks de Paris – Jakob + MacFarlane (2010)
The arrival of the new Bibliothèque Nationale in 1990s, ushered in a new urban era for the northeast section of the 13th arrondissement which, especially over the last 10 years, has developed into the most exciting hub of Parisian contemporary architecture. The best known, and most recognisable example is this daring building. The French architectural firm of Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane deftly succeeded in converting an early 20th century concrete shipping depot into a hip centre for fashion and design. One can’t miss it thanks to the swooshing wave of green passageways dissecting the river-facing façade. The building houses the French Institute of Fashion, contemporary art exhibition spaces, shops and several bars on its sprawling rooftop.
Photo Credit: Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac – Jean Nouvel (2006)
In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower is former President Jacques Chirac’s legacy to Paris, also designed by Jean Nouvel. According to the architect, the museum was built around the collection it was due to host; the French state’s 300,000 works from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Perched on stilts and hidden within trees, the building consists of large suspended, multi-colored boxes juxtaposed by a vast vertical garden, one of the city’s first, covering one entire wall. Rising in a spiral, the interiors guide visitors on an organic flow throughout the displays. It also has a rooftop restaurant with stunning views of the Tour Eiffel.
Photo Credit: la Tour Triangle
This wave of contemporary architecture is far from over. Keep your eyes on the city’s horizon in the coming years for the arrival of Herzog & de Meuron’s Tour Triangle and a number of new soaring towers at la Défense, which will come dangerously close to the Eiffel Tower’s height of 324 metres.