dominique perrault completes paris' longchamp racecourse

the new addition to the longchamp racecourse outside paris by french architect dominique perrault rejuvenates the classic track and it’s longstanding traditions. located in the bois de boulogne along the seine, the venue’s first race took place in 1857 under the spectatorship of emperor napoleon the 3rd. has naturally been updated many times since. ver the years, the grounds and observation booths have been built in all types of styles. previous to this latest update, the last addition was a series of stands built in the 1960s.

image © vincent fillon/dominique perrault architecte/adagp (also main image)

the architect was conscious of the track’s rich history and carefully wrote the next page. dominique perrault’s bold vision proposed to take down the various 1960s buildings and construct in their stead one clear structure to house all the various functions. in order to give the course new and lasting relevance in the horse racing world, perrault developed this addition to allow room for different functions and potential changes over time. the design also highlights the green heritage of bois de boulogne by emphasizing its beautiful landscape. furthermore, the building is LEED certified and is heated by one-hundred percent geothermal energy.
image © vincent fillon/dominique perrault architecte/adagp

the design encourages and celebrates france’s racing traditions in a new style. the most important of which being the prix de l’arc de triomphe, the annual race in october that welcomes 60,000 visitors. the observation structure’s four floors contain a total of 10,000 seats; the first two are open to the public, while the third is reserved for VIPs. above, the fourth floor has a rooftop restaurant and five bars. now the bronze and stained wood glisten in the sunlight. this beautiful structure not only revitalizes the famous track, but also the traditions that go along with it. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.