Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the most beloved Gothic landmarks in Paris and Europe, is engulfed by flames this evening as a major fire broke out on the cathedral’s roof. As detailed by The Guardian, it is believed that the fire may be linked to restoration works currently underway. Video footage below shows the iconic spire of the 850-year-old Gothic building collapsing, with fears that the cathedral's wooden interior is under threat. In a glimmer of hope, fire officials have confirmed that the main structure has been "saved and preserved."
While the Eiffel Tower was negatively received at first for its utilitarian appearance, it soon became a major attraction for Paris, France in the late 19th century. It represented structural ingenuity and innovation and soon became a major feat, rising to 300 meters of7,500 tons of steel and iron. Just three years after its unveiling, London sponsored a competition for its own version of the tower in 1890. The Tower Company, Limited collected 68 designs, all variations of the design of the Eiffel Tower. Proposals were submitted from the United States, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Austria, Turkey and Australia. Many of the designs are bizarre interpretations of utilitarian structures, following the aesthetics of the Eiffel Tower, only bigger and taller.
Join us after the break for more on the story of the Tower of London.
The Bulgarian artist Christo will wrap the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris with recyclable blue fabric in his next work. The work, which will open on April 9 and last for two weeks, coincides with the artist's large exhibition at the Center Pompidou, which brings together works done in partnership with his late wife, Jeanne-Claude, during the period in which they lived in Paris.
Airbnb has partnered with the Musée du Louvre to offer a unique experience for one lucky winner to sleep underneath the museum’s iconic Pyramid for one night. On April 30th, the winner will take up residence within I.M Pei’s famous 1989 addition to the Parisian complex, part of an elaborate “night at the museum” experience.
https://www.archdaily.com/914335/airbnb-is-treating-one-lucky-guest-to-a-night-in-the-louvre-including-drinks-with-the-mona-lisaNiall Patrick Walsh
Paris 2024 Athletes' Village. Image Courtesy of Dominique Perrault Architecture
French architect Dominique Perrault has revealed the new masterplan and vision for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic village. Located in the city's Seine-Saint-Denis district, the village was designed to integrate with the existing urban fabric along the banks of the river. Combining housing and offices with diverse programs, the project spans over 119,000 square meters across its entirety. At the conclusion of the games, the village is designed to become a new permanent community in Paris.
As a space to unify and reveal, the Wangari Maathai Center in the Saint-Blaise area of Paris was made to break free from constraints. Designed by Bruther, the center was created so inhabitants could appropriate the space. Now photographer Alexandra Timpau has captured the sports and cultural center through a series of new photographs. Through the images, Alexandra worked to show how the building adapted to the needs of the people living inside, through decoration, new temporary enclosures, and through the facade.
Henning Larsen has released details of its winning design for the NØRR office and cultural center in Saint-Denis, near the French capital of Paris. The 55,000-square-meter scheme draws inspiration from rural French villages, creating an intimate setting for urban and professional life derived from Scandinavian-styled human scales.
The scheme’s design was driven by an ethos of a professional world that would not forfeit the fundamentals of human wellness, with 50,000 square meters of working space engaging in direct dialogue with lush terraces, natural daylight, and a tight sense of community.
https://www.archdaily.com/913293/henning-larsens-paris-office-complex-merges-working-and-living-inspired-by-french-rural-villagesNiall Patrick Walsh
Studio Gang has unveiled a design for the University of Chicago Center in Paris. The Center in Paris Project seeks to “create a new hub for scholarship and cultural exchange in Paris’ rapidly-developing 13th arrondissement” with an academic center and a mixed-use residential building.
The scheme is adorned with biodiverse green spaces and an architecture that physically and intellectually weaves the block into the existing urban fabric. To support a lively dialogue between the University and local communities, shared spaces have been carefully arranged to connect to the outdoors and encourage communication.
https://www.archdaily.com/912932/studio-gang-unveils-design-for-university-of-chicago-center-in-parisNiall Patrick Walsh
The Centre Pompidou in Paris has acquired 12 architectural models by MAD Architects, depicting 10 significant projects undertaken by the firm. Each model embodies MAD’s core values that “look to envisioning a futuristic architecture that is akin to dream-like earthscapes – one that creates a conversation with nature, the earth, and the sky.”
The collection, permanently acquired by the Pompidou, represents projects developed by MAD between 2005 and the present day, demonstrating the evolution of the firm’s design process. The Pompidou has become the first major European cultural institution to acquire such a collection of MAD’s work, on display in an exhibition beginning in April 2019.
The ‘interstitial volumes’ that lie beneath the central esplanade, interlocked with underground infrastructures.
Paris La Défense is seeking to vitalise the ‘interstitial volumes’ that lie beneath its central esplanade, interlocked with underground infrastructures. Located at the heart of La Défense, those spaces are very close to public transport and offer high potential due to their distinctive size and morphology. The aim is to use them to develop a new offering of activities accessible to the public – and see a lively and unusual destination emerge as a result. Paris La Défense, as the urban planner, developer and manager of the business district, is launching a competitive dialogue process. The purpose to this
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Chambre des notaires de Paris (Paris' Chamber of French 'notaires')
Located in the heart of the French capital, among historical edifices and large Haussmannian avenues, the building of the ‘Chambre des notaires de Paris’ is an emblematic place to the profession of ‘notaires’ in France and house them since its construction in 1850.
Opéra Bastille Expansion. Image Courtesy of Henning Larsen
Henning Larsen has been selected to expand and transform the French Opéra Bastille, the largest opera house in Paris. Designed with collaborators Reichen et Robert & Associés, dUCKS Scéno, Peutz & Associés Acoustic Consultants and CET Ingénierie, the proposal includes a redesigned and extended public foyer that will open to street-level activity, as well as expanded infrastructure and workshop facilities, and the addition of a new 800-seat auditorium for use as rehearsal and performance space.
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