“Welcome to the machine”, the Pink Floyd title sets the tone. Alain Dominique Perrin, the creator of the Cartier Foundation for contemporary art, was keen on it. And certainly, the song perfectly illustrates what will be, in a year, the new place which will host the institution, place du Palais-Royalin the 1st arrondissement of Paris. While the construction site doors were ajar on October 18, the architect Jean-Nouvel insists on this point: it is good “a machine at the service of art” which he imagined to enable the collection and events of the Foundation to be exhibited.
And the future exhibition space will extend over 6,500 m² SPits ability to invent scenographies will in fact be multiplied by the presence of five mobile platforms which, alone, represent 1,250 m². This modularity inspires the architect with one of these formulas imbued with lyricism of which he has the secret: the Cartier Foundation will become “the shelter of the unpredictable”. The agility of the device will be tested, explains Alain Dominique Perrin, “in 11 months, 12 months… we will see… with the inaugural exhibition which will present an emblematic selection of works from our collection and will bear witness to 40 years of creation.»
Architect Jean Nouvel presents the system he designed for the future Cartier Foundation at the Palais-Royal in Paris. (© Marie-Douce Albert/Le Moniteur)
October 20, 1984the man who was then president of the luxury company Cartier International, launched this sponsorship initiative aimed at the contemporary art scenewith the objective of exhibiting works, but above all of enabling their creation. Since then, the Foundation has provided funding for the production of works and is committed to acquiring all or part of them. She first carried out this mission in Jouy-en-Josas (Yvelines) and would have happily stayed there. But a project proposed for the site by a certain Jean Nouvel had been rejected by local elected officials.
Transparency Monument
Instead, the architect delivered in 1994, as expressly requested by Alain Dominique Perrin, “a true monument of Paris” at 261 boulevard Raspailin the 14th arrondissement. This masterpiece of transparency between street and garden still houses the foundation’s exhibitions today, but the latter does not own it. And even though its history is closely linked to that of its occupant, the building is well unable to contain and present the 4,500 pieces of the collection which has been built up over the years.
An imperative need for space therefore leads the institution in the heart of Paris. Opposite the Louvre Museum, not far from the Bourse de Commerce and its Pinault Collection or the Center Pompidou and almost under the windows of the Ministry of Culture, there is in fact a place available: the old Louvre of antique dealersclosed since 2018. This large gallery of shops selling works and art objects occupied the lower floors of a huge Haussmann buildingan entire islet 150 meters long and built in 1855 on the edge of rue de Rivoli to originally house a large hotel.
Favorite architect
Holder of a 20-year renewable lease concluded with the Lyon Land Company (SFL), owner of the entire buildingthe Cartier Foundation entrusts this new project to its favorite architect. “ Jean is inseparable from his storyassures Alain Dominique Perrin. He brought him such talent and culture. »
From 2020, a first part of the construction site is committed, under the project management of SFL, to treat building exteriors. The second stepthis time carried directly by the foundation and currently in progressconsists of arrange the interior on three floorsfrom level -1 to the 1st floor over the entire length of the building, i.e. not less than 16,000 m² SP.
Another feature of the new Cartier Foundation site: the bays on rue de Rivoli as well as on rue Saint-Honoré will allow you to see the place from the outside. The new zenithal glass roofs incorporate plantings. © Jean Nouvel / ADAGP, Paris, 2024
While the building envelope was treated with precautions required by its classification as Historic Monumentsits volume is the subject of a major cleaning. The cells of the old shops disappear, the glass roofs which had covered the three interior courtyards of the past are replaced by new ones which are crossed by large garden beams planted with young trees. While on the upper floors, the offices remain occupied, the sails which support the buildings are “squared to be transformed into posts”, explains Mathieu Forest, workshop director at Ateliers Jean Nouvel (AJN). And so the large mobile steel platforms. Of varying surface area, the five are one meter and one meter thick. weight of one ton per m².
Poetic and industrial dimension
If Jean Nouvel draws a parallel with “the poetics of free-standing sets found in operas and theatersinvisible mechanics but with impressive precision which is used for the installation of sometimes very heavy decorations”, he specifies that the operation has taken on an industrial dimension. “ The technology implemented here is rather that which is used on aircraft carriersfor machine elevators. It’s not DIY,” he smiles.
While Alain-Dominique Perrin slips that the cost of the operation amounts to “€230 million”Jean Nouvel’s team details the work that still remains to be accomplished: “especially a lot of high precision technical development because, in terms of accessibility, the gap between the platforms and the floor of the peripheral spaces must be less than 2 cm. »
Jean Nouvel can be satisfied, he who considers that we must “bring heritage to life”. At the Palais-Royal, the heritage is completely turned upside down. However, the question of the future of this other heritage that is its building on Boulevard Raspail. Property of Groupama, its future is still mysterious. The architect is watching, as he confided without going into too much detail to “Figaro”: “I intend to have my copyright respected. »
The actors of the construction site
Project management: Cartier & Cie.
Project management: Jean Nouvel workshops (AJN).
BET : Setec (structure, fluids, elevators), ISM (mechanics and structure), Ducks Scéno (scenography), L’Obs INTL (lighting designer), Avel (acoustics), Tess (facades), Engineers and landscapes (landscape).
Group of companies: Petit (general contractor, agent), SMB (framework), També (mechanism), Tunzini (CVCD).
Related News :