Contemporary Architecture in Paris

[Mark_Se]

I`ll visit paris in may with my 4x5. Is there any new interessting architecture that should be visited? What do you think are generally the most interessting contemporary buildings in paris?

[r.e.]

If you mean within the peripherique, you can probably count the number of new buildings, interesting or not, on two hands.

How new do you want new to be?

If new doesn't mean so new, there are the usual suspects - to name a few: Courbusier's buildings, now owned by the Courbusier Foundation, in the 16th arrondissement; Centre Georges Pompidou; Fondation Cartier; Opera Bastille; Pyramide du Louvre; L'Institut du Monde Arabe (an amazing building); La Grande Arche at La Defense (not within the peripherique, but close and easy to get to); etc.

There is a book called One Thousand Buildings of Paris that you might find handy. One of the people who made it used to participate in this forum: http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Buildings-Paris-Kathy-Borrus/dp/1579123163/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267535576&sr=8-2

[Mark_Se]

that helps a lot, thanks r.e.

[r.e.]

François Mitterrand was a patron of architecture and was responsible for many of Paris's more important recent buildings. These were called the Grands Travaux or Grands Projets Culturels. The Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, also played an important role, and it would be interesting to know what influence Mitterrand's mistress, Anne Pingeot, had. She worked at the Musée D'Orsay and wrote about art. Here's some information on what was built during Mitterrand's Presidency: http://hubpages.com/hub/Architecture-in-France-Under-Francois-Mitterrand

A photographic project that focused on Mitterrand's architectural legacy would be interesting in itself.

[AF-ULF]

Le Defense will keep you busy for days. An easy metro ride (line 1--in yellow on the metro maps) from the historic part of Paris. Get off at the Le Defense stop and start walking.

[QT Luong]

To r.e.'s excellent list, add the Bibliotheque de France (appropriately now named after Francois Mitterand). Once there, you can check the Palais des Sports and new Ministere des Finances at Bercy. Once at the Centre George Pompidou, have a look at Forum des Halles. Cite des Sciences et de l'industrie, the largest science museum in Europe, has some interesting buildings.

[r.e.]

If you are interested in sports complexes, the Stade de France is fairly new, and while like La Defense not within Paris proper, it is also easy to get to. The Paris football/soccer club - which also happens to be my team - actually plays in an older stadium in the 16th (where Corbusier's buildings are) called Parc des Princes. The Stade de Rolland Garros, where the French Open Tennis Tournament is played, is not far away.

[r.e.]

There is a book by a photographer named Geoffrey James, who used to participate in this forum, of 8x10 photographs of Paris that you might have a look at. James did not focus on contemporary architecture, but he presents a view of Paris that is well worth absorbing. At least I think so, as a former resident of the city who thinks that he captured it so well that I purchased one of the prints.

[mortensen]

... a few extra bits from someone with only miniscule knowledge of the city, but a bit of knowledge on modern architecture:

Herzog & deMeuron's truly amazing apartment block at rue de suisses: http://www.housingprototypes.org/project?File_No=FRA023
... also extensively covered in the second El Croquis monograph on H&deM. Check!

I don't know if any of this is built yet, but Xaveer de Geyter won this huge competition in 2003 with OMA: http://www.xdga.be/index.php?section=projects&project=46

Check Lacaton & Vassal: http://www.lacatonvassal.com/
Although very mundane in their expression, the approach they take on social housing, for instance, is really worth a study. Don't know if any of their projects in Paris is built, though. As far as I remember, they are both professors of architecture and are held in very high regard locally (and internationally).

On an old school tip, don't miss Maison de Verre:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maison_de_Verre
(lousy photos, it IS amazing, really. and an all time classic) As far as I remember, it's pretty close to one of the legendary Corbusier villa's... right, r.e.?

And while you are at Dominique Perrault's excellent library, check his other Paris projects: http://www.perraultarchitecte.com/

oh, and while you are already there, go shoot a copy of David Burdeny's copy of She Tsung Leong's Seine shot, haha:
http://www.latimes.com/la-ca-photoplagiarism28-2010feb28,0,2723688.story

enjoy your trip :)

lars

[r.e.]

On an old school tip, don't miss Maison de Verre:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maison_de_Verre
(lousy photos, it IS amazing, really. and an all time classic) As far as I remember, it's pretty close to one of the legendary Corbusier villa's... right, r.e.?

Hi Lars, actually, it's on a street that I used to live on, just off Boulevard Saint-Germain in the 7th arrondissement. The only Corbusier buildings that I'm aware of, which doesn't mean that there aren't others, are the ones that the Corbusier Foundation owns in the 16th.

Thanks for the reference to rue St-Guillaume, brings back good memories.

[NoBob]

> Xaveer de Geyter won this huge competition in 2003 with OMA

No, that won't be built. The local authorities ran another competition, won by French architect/urban planner David Mangin, with buildings by Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti.

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/071203paris.asp

[tom north]

Mark,

My wife and I visited the Brainly museum. We thought it was one of the most original contemporary works of architecture we've seen in years. The exhibits inside were also great. I look forward to you showing us what you shot.

Best
Tom