‘Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance’ International Architecture Competition

First announced by the President of France speaking alongside the Minister of Culture and the Mayor of Paris nearly 40 years after the launch of the ‘Grand Louvre’ project and the addition of the iconic Louvre Pyramid designed by architect Ieoh Ming Pei, this new project addresses a pressing need: the museum must be renovated and transformed in order to better preserve its architectural heritage, to better conserve and showcase its collections, and to better meet visitors' expectations. The plan also addresses key sustainable development issues, which are expected to present challenges in the decades to come.

The project of the ‘Grande Colonnade’ contest 

In the wider context of the Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance project, the ‘Grande Colonnade’ contest paves the way for a new chapter in the museum’s history: the celebration of the Louvre’s Colonnade, a masterpiece of classical French architecture, which will serve to reconnect the city of Paris to the unique cultural heritage of the Louvre while also making the museum more accessible. 

By creating new access points and streamlined flows of traffic from the eastern side of the museum and revitalising the surrounding area, the project aims to deliver lasting improvements in the form of enhanced visitor facilities and better working conditions for staff at the world’s most-visited museum. 

The project also includes the creation of a space designed specifically for the Mona Lisa, where the public will be able to visit and appreciate it in comfortable conditions, a state-of-the-art, modular space for temporary exhibitions, new rest areas for visitors to take a break, and facilities such as cafés and book and gift shops that will make the Louvre a more welcoming place, both inside and out.

The jury selects the STUDIOS Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects team

The expert jury, which included Marc Guillaume, Prefect of the Île-de-France region and Prefect of Paris, as chair, and Christophe Leribault, President-Director of the Public Establishment of the Musée du Louvre, as vice-chair, met with the Mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire, on 13 May to examine the proposals submitted by the five consortiums shortlisted for the competition. 

The jury selected the proposal submitted by STUDIOS Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects as the winner for the quality of its architectural design and for its seamless integration of existing heritage, urban planning and landscaping elements, which fully address the need to provide a welcoming environment for visitors, clear paths for circulation, energy-efficient facilities, and green spaces, all while also bearing safety considerations in mind.

The winning team

STUDIOS Architecture Paris, the lead partner of the winning consortium chaired by James Cowey, is the French branch of an international collective founded in 1985, with offices in New York, Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Toronto. Their major cultural projects include the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the LUMA Foundation, both completed in collaboration with Gehry Partners.

Selldorf Architects, the partner responsible for the design, was founded in New York in 1988 by Annabelle Selldorf. The firm creates public and private spaces that combine contemporary aesthetics with sustainable, energy-efficient design. Known for bringing its expertise to complex cultural projects, Selldorf has undertaken major new builds and renovations such as The Frick Collection in New York and the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London, bothwidely acclaimed for the quality of their architecture and their integration of historic buildings. Selldorf Architects will also be responsible for exhibition design and installation. 

BASE Landscape Architecture will oversee the landscape design and urban planning aspects of the project.

STUDIOS Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects’ project proposal

STUDIOS Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects’ project proposes a respectful and contemporary new approach to the Colonnade entrance. 

It aims to create a welcoming space which will link the city, the palace and the museum, while a carefully considered layout will enhance visitors’ experience from the moment they arrive and continue to provide a clear pathway as they move into the museum proper.

From a tranquil and harmonious public space that stretches from the Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois belfry and church to the esplanade of the Louvre, visitors will reach a clearly identifiable entrance in front of the Colonnade. They will enjoy a viewing point from which they can admire the Louvre’s eastern façade as well as the moat, transformed into a green space to provide a leafy respite for visitors. The strong symmetry around the prolongation of the historic east-west axis and the clarity of the pathways shape the overall design.

The moat is accessed primarily via two symmetrical, gently sloping ramps, which provide a clearly marked and partially sheltered pathway set into the base of the counterscarp wall.

The blend of stonework and greenery will help to maintain a comfortable climate for visitors. New cafés and book and gift shops, located beneath the ramps and set into the wall, will be accessible to all visitors via the moat.

Two new entrances to the museum, which will be located on either side of the moat (one on the Seine side and one on the Rue de Rivoli side), beneath two gardens adjoining the Louvre, will provide access to clearly organised, functional reception areas leading to new exhibition spaces and the Mona Lisa visitor trail. These spaces will also connect to the rest of the museum.

The co-authoring of a new chapter

The announcement of the winning consortium marks a fundamental step in beginning the Louvre's transformation. Over the coming months, the winning team will work closely with the Louvre and all stakeholders in the project to further refine the proposal. 

This consultation process will begin with the people who form the backbone of the Louvre – its staff – in conjunction with all stakeholders involved in this collaborative project (the City of Paris, the French government departments responsible for cultural heritage, security, etc.), and will then go on to engage with the public.