Profile

Grand Louvre — Phase I

Paris, France
Completed 1989
Phase II completed 1993

Expansion, modernization and reorganization of the Louvre; new operational infrastructure for the entire museum
 

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For eight centuries the Louvre has stood as a unique national monument, central to the people and spirit of France. In 1983, President François Mitterrand requested that it be modernized, expanded and better integrated with the city — all without compromising the integrity of the historic building. The challenge was magnified by the fact that the Louvre was originally constructed, and used for most of its life, as a royal palace; it was fundamentally ill-suited to serve as a museum.

The two-phase solution involved the reorganization of the long linear building into a compact U-shaped museum around a focal courtyard. A centrally located glass pyramid forms the new main entrance and provides direct access to galleries in each of the museum's three wings. Critically, the pyramid also serves as a skylight for a very large expansion building constructed under the courtyard to provide all the public amenities and technical support required in a modern museum.

Corollary objectives for improved urban integration led to the transformation of surface parking into a three-hectare fountain plaza. Closed passages through the building were opened as public rights of way, underground services and parking relieved congestion, and a 55,000m² mixed-use complex, supplementary but independent of the museum, was designed to help finance the project and reinvigorate the heart of Paris. The half-mile-long Louvre, previously an obstacle to circulation, thus became a vital gathering place and bridge to the surrounding city.

Major Components

2.9-hectare public plaza with fountains, 21.6m-high pyramidal main entrance, 5m-high pyramidal skylights (3) over underground links to museum wings; 61,690m² Hall Napoleon with 290m² belvedere; 20,800m² mezzanine; 24,900m² main reception; 420-seat auditorium; 16,000m² technical level; Public Spaces (17,640m² total): 5,800m² reception / circulation; 3,900m² research; 3,500m² cafes/restaurants; 2,000m² museum shop; 1,400m² temporary exhibition; 1,000m² Louvre History exhibition; 1,200m² support; 1,000m² Young People's Louvre; 760m ² group reception; 600m² commercial boutiques; Technical Spaces & Support (8,800m² total) including 3,000m² art reserves; 2,400m² workshops / related facilities; 925m ² circulation; 365m² staff workshops / lounges; 430m² workshop support; 425m² security; 1,200m² guards' facilities; 100m² medical services

Awards

I. M. Pei & Partners services

Master Planning; Architectural Design; Interior Design of Public spaces and connections to existing building; coordination with associate architect on construction documents and construction administration

Associate Architects, Paris

Michel Macary

Architectes en Chef du Louvre

Georges Duval, Guy Nicot

Pyramid Structure / Design Consultant

Nicolet Chartrand Knoll, Ltd.

Pyramid Structure / Construction Phase

Rice Francis Ritchie

Traffic

Travers Associates, Clifton, NJ

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