shigeru ban integrates concert venue and food hall in réinventer paris proposal

shigeru ban integrates concert venue and food hall in réinventer paris proposal
image by RSI-studio

réinventer paris is an ongoing initiative instigated by the city’s mayor anne hidalgo. the 23 site masterplan aims to develop innovative urban projects within the french capital, with studios invited to submit ideas before being evaluated by an international panel. as part of the project’s competition stage, japanese architect shigeru ban submitted a design for an area of land in paris’ 4th arrondissement.

a market hall is contained beneath an undulating timber canopy
image by RSI-studio

restricted to a height of 25 meters, shigeru ban’s proposal exists in harmony with surrounding buildings, presenting a fully glazed façade to the adjacent street. a large egg-shaped volume appears at the center of the design, containing programs that require less daylight and more privacy — such as concerts and various exhibitions. at the rear of the site, a large café and market is contained beneath an undulating timber canopy that references the forms and materials often associated with ban’s work. at night, the illuminated building stands as a beacon on the banks of the river seine, drawing in passersby.

the site serves as a venue for concerts and exhibitions
image by RSI-studio

following jury review, a design by british architect david chipperfield was chosen for the plot. see more on the réinventer paris initiative on designboom here.

the illuminated building stands as a beacon on the banks of the river seine
image by RSI-studio

illustration detailing the layout of the proposal
image by shigeru ban architects