After the announcement, in January 2025, by Emmanuel Macron of the “Louvre – Nouvelle Renaissance” program, the museum launched, on June 27, an international architectural competition to create a new entry into the Colonnade de Perrault, oriental facade of the Palais.
The first selection phase will end on September 1, 2025. The jury, made up of 21 members, will retain five finalist teams on October 7. These will give a detailed project during the winter of 2025-2026. The winner must be appointed in the first quarter of 2026 for an end of work scheduled in 2031.
This competition constitutes the first tranche of the vast “Louvre – New Renaissance” plan, estimated between 800 and 900 million euros. The envelope devoted to the new entry and the adjoining spaces reached nearly 300 million. The museum is confronted with saturated premises and overfrending in certain areas, especially in the room that exhibits The Mona Lisa.
The president-director Laurence des Cars pilots the project with the support of the chief architect of Historic Monuments François Chatillon. Applicants will have to reconcile several requirements: preserve the colonnade, the ditches and the square courtyard; Update the vestiges of Le Vau (architect of Louis XIV for the eastern part), hidden since the 1960s; Unclog pyramid and improve the circulation of visitors and tourist buses; Guarantee a landscape insertion and energy performance in accordance with current standards.
The specifications requires not altering the facade: the privileged solution is a gentle ramp leading under the square courtyard. The 19th century ditches will be maintained. Archaeological destruction will only be authorized in the absence of heritage interest.
The program provides several new spaces, including 3,000 m² intended for a specific course for The Mona Lisa. The intervention perimeter includes Place du Louvre, the gardens of the rue de Rivoli, rue de l’Amiral-de-Coligny and the quays, partly managed by the City of Paris.
The Louvre colonnade, built between 1667 and 1670.
