The Louvre Museum redevelopment project, including a new room for the Mona Lisa, is entrusted to a group of two architectural agencies and an agency of landscapers and town planners.
The Ministry of Culture has designated the group formed by STUDIOS Architecture Paris And Selldorf Architects to lead the redevelopment of the east wing of the Louvre Museum. Selected from five finalist applications, this duo convinced with a proposal deemed both ambitious and controlled, reconciling heritage requirements, urban integration and quality of use.
An international tandem selected to rethink the east wing of the Louvre
The Ministry of Culture has retained the proposal made by STUDIOS Architecture Paris And Selldorf Architects to lead the important redevelopment of the east wing of the Louvre Museum. The jury praised an architectural vision reconciling heritage integration, urban dialogue and landscape integration, while responding to contemporary challenges of welcoming the public, fluidity of routes, environmental sobriety and revegetation. The project is also distinguished by an approach considered particularly successful on security issues.
Founded in 1985, theagency STUDIOS Architecture Paristhe French branch of an international collective, has distinguished itself through several major achievements, including the Louis Vuitton Foundation and the LUMA Foundationtwo projects imagined by Frank Gehry. By his side, Selldorf Architectsfounded in 1988 by Annabelle Selldorfwill also bring its expertise in scenography and museography. The New York agency is particularly recognized for its interventions on The Frick Collection and the National Gallery. The group is completed by BASE Landscape Architecturein charge of the landscape and urban dimensions of the program.
Supported by patron Maja Hoffmann, the Foundation Luma nestles in the middle of the Parc des Ateliers, ten hectares of industrial wasteland converted into a cultural institution, in Arles. The Luma Tower. © Adrian Deweerdt
An emblematic construction site at the heart of the “Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance” project
Chosen from among five finalist teams, this tandem now opens a new phase of consultation to be deployed in the coming months. However, no precise work schedule has been communicated at this stage. Estimated at 660 million euros, the redevelopment of the east wing constitutes one of the pillars of the “Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance” programannounced in January 2025 by Emmanuel Macron. This ambitious plan also provides for a more global renovation of the Parisian museum.
The project intends in particular rethink access to the busiest museum in the worldwhich welcomes nearly nine million visitors each year, thanks to a new entrance located on the Grande Colonnade sidecomplementing thehistoric access via the Pyramid. According to estimates from the Court of Auditors, the entire presidential program would reach 1.15 billion euros.
If the museum’s management defends a transformation that has become essential in the face of aging infrastructure, the project also provokes strong union criticism, with certain organizations denouncing a project deemed disproportionate in view of the operational priorities of the museum. The debates intensified after the spectacular burglary of October 19, which revived the questions surrounding the modernization and security of Louvre equipment.
© STUDIOS Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects
