| |

The Louvre Announces Design Competition Ahead of Ambitious $316M Renovation

The exterior of the LouvreThe exterior of the Louvre

The Louvre Museum in the evening. (Photo: Pedro Szekely via Wikimedia Commons, CC 2.0)

The Louvre, which happens to be the world’s largest and most visited museum, is on the verge of undergoing an ambitious, $316 million renovation. The project seeks to address overcrowding by incorporating an additional entrance near the Seine River and a special exhibition area housing Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. On June 27, the Louvre officially launched an international architecture competition, whose winner will design the museum’s new entrance and exhibition hall.

As one of the most renowned paintings in all of art history, it should come as no surprise that the Mona Lisa demands her own dedicated space. Right now, viewing the 16th-century masterpiece is often underwhelming if not completely dissatisfying—visitors have to push through hoards of other guests only to catch the most precursory glimpse of the Mona Lisa. The new space, which the brief specifies must be about 33,000 square feet, intends to offer more breathing room, as well as a history lesson, detailing the painting’s origin, its infamous theft in 1911, and its enduring impact upon contemporary art production. Visitors will need to purchase separate, timed tickets to enter the subterranean space, which will be situated beneath the Cour Carrée, the Louvre’s easternmost courtyard.

“Our aim is to offer a high-quality encounter with this masterpiece,” Laurence des Cars, the Louvre’s president, said in an interview with Le Monde, adding that the space must facilitate “genuine time for contemplation.”

“[The painting] is viewed in a matter of seconds from a distance of several meters,” François Chatillon, the Louvre’s chief architect, echoed. “For this new space, the curators want the painting to be closer to visitors, more on their scale.”

As for the new entrance, Louvre officials hope that it will help alleviate pressure caused by overcrowding. Though I.M. Pei’s iconic pyramid could welcome countless new visitors when it was first constructed in the 1980s, it isn’t sufficient enough at this point to “accommodate the 9 million visitors who flock to our museum every year,” des Cars explained. In fact, Louvre staff staged an unannounced strike on June 16, protesting the tremendous difficulties in managing the constant flood of guests, especially alongside the museum’s increasingly outdated infrastructure.

The design competition seeks to address these challenges, while rejuvenating and modernizing the museum for larger audiences. The competition’s five finalists will be announced by a 21-person jury in October, with the overall winner selected early next year.

To learn more, visit the Louvre’s website.

The Louvre has announced an architecture competition for their $316 million renovation, in which the museum will add an additional entrance and a special exhibition hall for the Mona Lisa.

The exterior of the LouvreThe exterior of the Louvre

Courtyard of the Louvre Museum, featuring its iconic pyramid. (Photo: Alvesgaspar via Wikimedia Commons, CC 3.0)

The Louvre: Website | Instagram

Sources: Louvre Opens Design Competition for $316 Million Expansion; France Opens Competition to Expand Overcrowded Louvre; Mona Lisa to Get Her Own Room as the Overcrowded Louvre Expands

Related Articles:

The Grand Palais Reopens in Paris Following $560 Million Renovation

Istanbul’s Iconic Hagia Sophia Undergoing Biggest Renovation in Its 1,500-Year History

Exploring the Frick Collection’s $220 Million Renovation Before Its Reopening

Similar Posts

  • Best Eclectic Living Rooms in White: Weaving Together Contrasting Elements!

    Life can seem boring and dull at times and this is truer when you are stuck indoors in uncertain times or even on just a dreary, rainy week with very little sunlight all around. If you have a living room that is draped in beige, has a while sofa and a few other décor pieces […]

    You’re reading Best Eclectic Living Rooms in White: Weaving Together Contrasting Elements!, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

  • Revamped Mid-Century Hillside Home Overlooking Lake Washington

    There is no shortage of amazing views when it comes to the beautiful Mercer Island in Seattle and it is on a hillside lot next to Lake Washington that one finds the lovely Mercer Modern designed by Wittman Estes Architecture + Landscape. An aged midcentury home, the residence was redone while keeping its bones intact […]

    You’re reading Revamped Mid-Century Hillside Home Overlooking Lake Washington, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

  • Lago Vista

    This project was a true evolution of design. The owners originally approached DC+A about 10 years ago to design an informal home on their narrow cliff-side lot in the resort community of Lago Vista outside of Austin, TX. The couple worked with our firm remotely, trusting us to design their dream home. The original designs were for the narrow lot, but when a piece of land became available next door, the owners bought it and decided to re-envision their dream home to stretch across both pieces of property and leave more “breathing room” for the neighboring properties. The ultimate design is a 4,000 square foot limestone-clad home that frames views of the Colorado River from every room. The home uses some classic hill country and contemporary features that lend themselves well to the Central Texas lakeside setting, incorporated in a beautifully laid-back way. Featuring clerestory windows, floor to ceiling retractable glass doors and multi-purpose rooms, the home has an incredible quality and depth of natural light. The furnishings complement the architecture while remaining both casual and durable. Concrete floors add to the easy-going personality of the home, while redwood finishes outside and white oak inside reflect the riverside setting. The landscaping echoes the home’s relaxed nature with indigenous plants, while the Texas-sourced Antique Lueders Limestone finishing the exterior walls roots the home firmly in its setting.