tadao ando-designed 'bourse de commerce' revealed in new images

the bourse de commerce, the museum housing the pinault collection in paris, will open its doors to the public on january 23, 2021. the project, which was first announced in 2017, saw the city’s former stock exchange transformed by japanese architect tadao ando into a museum for businessman and art collector françois pinault. the building was originally set to open in september 2020, but the date was pushed back as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

all images bourse de commerce — pinault collection © tadao ando architect & associates, niney et marca architectes, agence pierre-antoine gatier | image by patrick tourneboeuf (main image by marc domage)

‘I am delighted with the upcoming opening of the bourse de commerce,’ comments françois pinault. ‘not only will it add to the european landscape of institutions devoted to presenting contemporary art, but after the difficult year experienced by france and the world in 2020, it will contribute to the renaissance of the parisian cultural sphere.’

image by marc domage

as part of the project, ando — who pinault previously tasked with restoring venice’s punta della dogana — designed a central cylinder that has now been inserted into the existing structure, forming a new exhibition space. the remainder of the building, including the dome, which is listed as a historical monument, has been completely restored and modified.

image by maxime tétard, studio les graphiquants, paris

centrally located in paris’ first arrondissement, the bourse de commerce has a circular plan with the rotunda at its center. ando’s concrete cylinder takes the form of a nine meter-high wall that spans 30 meters (almost 100 feet) in diameter. four identical openings provide access and allow natural light to illuminate the space. ‘this cylinder will give shape to the central exhibition space under the cupola and encase the auditorium and foyer below ground,’ explained ando when the project was revealed.

image by marc domage

the intervention — developed in collaboration with niney & marca architectes and pierre-antoine gatier — also creates a new corridor space between the outside of the cylinder and the existing interior façade. here, new stairwells and passageways will ensure that visitors are able to access the entirety of the building, including a host of facilities contained below grade. the 300-seat auditorium will provide a setting for screenings, conferences, and concerts, while a black-box theater will host video installations and more experimental performances.

image by marc domage

once open, the institution will offer 3,000 square meters of modular exhibition space, which can either be subdivided or used to host large-scale projects. guests will enter into a ground floor reception area, before continuing to a double-height gallery space. a small exhibition space on the first storey is to be positioned between the building’s historic walls, while the galleries on the second floor are accessible from two points. the route will culminate with a restaurant and a lounge, from where sweeping views are provided of the city and the frescoes overhead.

image by maxime tétard, studio les graphiquants, paris