Paris, France
Transformed by Chatillon Architectes, one of the most prominent monuments and landmarks in Paris, the Grand Palais’ major restoration has been underway since 2021, with the first phase set to be unveiled to the public this summer and the full completion slated for 2025.
Emblematic of the 1900 Paris Exposition, the Grand Palais, although conceived as a temporary Beaux-Arts palace.
This collective work was originally imagined by several architects: the Nave and galleries by Henri Deglane, the intermediate part by Albert Louvet, the Palais d’Antin by Albert Thomas and the coordination of the whole by Charles Girault, also architect of the Petit Palais.
From its inauguration, it was dedicated to the history of the arts and the glory of industry, as evidenced by its architecture, a masterful combination of the Beaux-Arts style with modern materials such as glass and steel.
The building has become the international showcase of the French cultural scene, hosting the world’s greatest exhibitions and events, and reflecting the developments and innovations of its time.
the Grand Palais has never undergone a major restoration, except for the glass roof of the Nave and its foundations on the Seine side in the early 2000s by Alain-Charles Perrot.
Thanks to the 3D superimposition of more than 3,000 archive plans, surveyor plans, and point clouds, a digital heritage diagnosis was carried out to model and understand the whole building as well as to slide the technical solutions into the interstices.
The major project to restore and renovate the Grand Palais will enable visitors to rediscover the beauty of its architecture by uncovering the coherence of its composition, the generosity of its spaces, its natural light, the fluidity of its circulation and creating of a contemporary layout.
In particular, the project will enable visitors to rediscover the great North-South and East-West perspectives, to understand the interdependence of the different spaces, and to restore the power of the building.
The Grand Palais will thus offer visitors a free interior walk from Square Jean Perrin to the Seine via the central square, linking the Palais d’Antin and the Nave.
The work to bring the building up to standard will improve its technical and logistical performance and optimize the conditions for welcoming the public.
From a thermal point of view, the integration of a system to insulate the floor of the Nave will extend the operating time of the building.
The elegance and intelligence of the architecture of the Galeries Nationales, designed by Pierre Vivien at the request of André Malraux, will be preserved and enhanced to create a link between the past, present and future of the building.
The public will also be able to discover a part of the underground level thanks to the creation of a space dedicated to the reception of children where the former horse-riding ring was located.
Exhibitions for young people with an “Arts and Sciences” approach will be presented jointly each season by the RMN-GP and the Palais de la Découverte.
Project: Restoration of the Grand Palais
Architects: Chatillon Architectes
Original Architects: Henri Deglane (façade), Albert Louvet, Albert Thomas, and Charles Girault (1892)
Client: RMN-GP
Photographers: Laurent Kronental
