2019
Grand Paris Express Pavilion — Architecture and Landscape Biennial, Versailles
Located within the former Versailles post office building, the Horizon 2030 Pavilion was conceived as a space for reflection and experimentation on the future of the Grand Paris Express. Designed by architects, landscape architects, artists, scenographers, and designers, it has, like the Grand Paris project itself, brought together a wide range of disciplines. In practical terms, the vibrant atmosphere of an architect’s studio—where one watches buildings come to life—has been recreated. As visitors stroll through the space, they can immerse themselves in a variety of sensory experiences, exploring both the major construction projects of the past and those of our near future. The emerging city of the 21st century was presented through a monumental mural, immersive projections, original creations, and some 100 station models.
Based on a chronological narrative of the Grand Paris Express project from its origins through to 2030, the exhibition design unfolds like a frieze across the building’s entire interior architecture. From the beginning to the end of the exhibition, this frieze creates thematic alcoves, showcasing the different phases of the project through various media (video, photography, cartography, prototyping, models, text). The ground floor is dedicated to the chronological history of the Grand Paris Express, with sections devoted to each key figure involved in the project (architects, artists, historians). The first floor is dedicated to architects’ workshops. Walking among the various displays allows visitors to explore the concepts for the stations on Line 15, the new circular line around Paris. This floor features a ceiling display of maps depicting the city of Paris and the Île-de-France region across two centuries: from the city in the 19th century through the plans of the metro system to a graphic representation of Greater Paris today. This ceiling, containing 48 maps, was designed in the style of the ceilings at the Palace of Versailles.
Design team — Ruedi Baur, Kévin Laclautre, Alexandre Moriceau, and Afrouz Razavi