Philharmonie de Paris — Jean Nouvel's Sculptural Facade

4 October 2017 · Paris

The Philharmonie de Paris dominates the edge of Parc de la Villette with a facade that refuses to settle. Jean Nouvel's aluminium bird-panel cladding catches the autumn light in shifting patches of silver and charcoal, while a diagonal white slash drives hard across the curved mass above the entrance. The building does two things at once — it reads as heavy, monolithic architecture from a distance, and as an intricate pixelated surface up close. A performing arts venue that earns its landmark status from the outside as much as the inside.