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France Picks Architects for €800M Louvre Redesign, Boosts Visitors

5/18/2026

Summary

France Picks Architects

France announced that Studios Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects won the competition to redesign the Louvre.
The €700-million to €800-million project will add an eastern entrance, green spaces and a separate-ticket Mona Lisa room.
The entrance should raise annual visitors by three million, from nine million to twelve million.
A 21-person jury led by Prefect Marc Guillaume chose the architects on May 13, with Culture Minister Catherine Pégard announcing the decision.

Summary

Louvre Redesign

The plan re-establishes the Louvre’s axis linking the Pyramid, Carrousel arches and the Arche de la Défense.
Landscaping will reshape the eastern esplanade into a corridor linking Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois church to the entrance.
The museum’s moats will become green, climate-equipped islands that provide cooling and improve air quality.
The redesign will house refreshment zones and bookstore-boutiques in two ramps and improve flow with a modular hall and rest areas for shows.

Summary

Louvre Consultation

A consultation with Louvre staff, Paris officials, state agencies and the public will begin soon.
Culture Minister Catherine Pégard described the architects’ appointment as a founding stage for the project.
The consultation will fine-tune design details before the operational launch of the new eastern entrance.
Officials say the overhaul will redefine the link between heritage, the city and visitors while aligning with Paris’s broader urban planning goals.

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France Picks Architects

France announced that Studios Architecture Paris and Selldorf Architects won the competition to redesign the Louvre.
The €700-million to €800-million project will add an eastern entrance, green spaces and a separate-ticket Mona Lisa room.
The entrance should raise annual visitors by three million, from nine million to twelve million.
A 21-person jury led by Prefect Marc Guillaume chose the architects on May 13, with Culture Minister Catherine Pégard announcing the decision.

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