{"id":198332,"date":"2025-06-19T23:05:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T23:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/198332\/"},"modified":"2025-06-19T23:05:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T23:05:12","slug":"pariss-grand-palais-reopens-after-chatillon-architectes-renovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/198332\/","title":{"rendered":"paris’s grand palais reopens after chatillon architectes’ renovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

paris\u2019s grand palais fully opens to the public after renovation<\/p>\n

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After four years of renovation<\/strong><\/a>, the Grand Palais<\/strong><\/a> in Paris<\/strong><\/a> fully reopens following a major transformation led by Chatillon Architectes (find designboom\u2019s previous coverage here<\/strong><\/a>). The project, which began with the unveiling of the restored Nave for the 2024 Olympics<\/strong><\/a>, is the most extensive restoration in the building\u2019s 120-year history. Spanning 77,000 square meters, the work improves public access, brings back long-concealed architectural elements, and adapts the historic structure to meet modern cultural and technical needs.<\/p>\n

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images \u00a9 Charly Broyez<\/a> for Chatillon Architectes, unless stated otherwise<\/p>\n

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Chatillon Architectes reveals the true identity of the building<\/p>\n

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Paris-based<\/strong><\/a> Chatillon Architectes focused on restoring the original layout of the building, which had become fragmented over time. They studied over 3,000 archival plans and drawings to guide the work, aiming to respect the original design of the monument while updating it for contemporary use. New exhibition spaces, restaurants, and circulation routes are added, with over 40 elevators and 30 staircases introduced to make the building fully accessible.<\/p>\n

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\u2018The Grand Palais is a powerful symbol of France\u2019s cultural legacy \u2013 iconic and instantly recognisable, yet so much of its beauty has been hidden for decades,\u2019 says Fran\u00e7ois Chatillon, founder of Chatillon Architectes.<\/strong> \u2018We didn\u2019t set out to reinvent it, but through a process of revelation we wanted to uncover its identity. This renovation was about bringing it back to life, staying true to its spirit while opening it up for the future and giving the monument back to the people.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Grand Palais was originally designed by a team of architects led by Charles Girault. It combined Beaux-Arts architecture with then-revolutionary materials like steel and glass. In later years, parts of the building were damaged, altered, or closed off, reducing access and hiding many of its key features.<\/p>\n

The renovation reopens the original central axis, allowing visitors to move freely from Square Jean Perrin to the Seine. This new connection forms what the architects call a \u2018place centrale\u2019, an open area created by combining the Rotonde d\u2019Antin, the Salon Seine, and other interior spaces. One major change was the removal of a wall separating the Nave from the Palais de la D\u00e9couverte, restoring a sightline that hadn\u2019t been visible since 1937.<\/p>\n

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the Grand Palais\u00a0in\u00a0Paris fully reopens to the public | image \u00a9 Antoine Mercusot<\/a> for Chatillon Architectes<\/p>\n

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centre pompidou to use gallery spaces during its renovation<\/p>\n

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Lighting and technology enhancements throughout the galleries have transformed them into versatile spaces for a wide range of exhibitions. The Centre Pompidou will use these spaces while its own museum is being renovated. Other public areas include a mezzanine-level caf\u00e9, Le R\u00e9s\u00e9da, led by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, and a new brasserie, Le Grand Caf\u00e9, overlooking the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es gardens with interiors by Joseph Dirand.<\/p>\n

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Interior partitions are replaced with glass to bring in light and expose the building\u2019s original proportions. Every element, from doors over six meters tall to statues, ornaments, and 150 windows, was carefully restored. \u2018At Chatillon Architectes, we strive to revitalize historic landmarks, such as the Grand Palais, as both emblematic monuments and vibrant cultural spaces,\u2019 shares Simon Chatillon, partner of Chatillon Architectes.<\/strong> \u2018We approach cultural projects with a strong sense of place, developing thoughtful and innovative interventions that bring renewed energy and help define their future.\u2019<\/p>\n

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The gardens surrounding the building have also been redesigned, visually connecting to the nearby Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es. More than 60,000 plants from 250 species were added to support biodiversity, using a rainwater-fed irrigation system built into the renovated roof. A new pedestrian entrance at Square Jean Perrin replaces a former road and improves the site\u2019s integration with the city.<\/p>\n

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Chatillon Architectes\u2019 project is the most extensive restoration in the building\u2019s 120-year history<\/p>\n

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the work brings back long-concealed architectural elements<\/p>\n

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adapting the historic structure to meet modern cultural and technical needs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"paris\u2019s grand palais fully opens to the public after renovation \u00a0 After four years of renovation, the Grand…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":198333,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3939],"tags":[79879,80390,4021,4020,4022,77,80072,14813,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-198332","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-architectural-icons","9":"tag-architecture-in-paris","10":"tag-arts","11":"tag-arts-and-design","12":"tag-design","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-grand-palais","15":"tag-renovation-and-restoration-architecture-and-design","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114712538467500939","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=198332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/198333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}