Paris Expo Exhibition Centre
Hall 7

The architectural thought process for the renovation of Pavilion 7, characteristic of the “brutalist” movement of the 1960s and ’70s, consisted of seeking a balance between recognition of the building as a piece of heritage and the expression of a new modernity. The impressive raw concrete megastructure, measuring 20m x 20m on three levels and enclosed by concrete panels, has an imposing presence on the edge of the Paris ring road: a heavy, impenetrable presence somewhat out of tune with the lively, open, even light-hearted mood of Paris exhibitions.

The megastructure was stripped of its secondary elements, in order to reveal its powerful character and to allow the installation of exhibition facilities of a higher standard, as well as a convention centre with a capacity of 15,000. This was in accordance with the “capable space” principle, much cherished in that era. From being opaque, the building became transparent.n A fully glazed façade, composed of large elements proportionate to the structure, allows events to be glimpsed from the outside, and on the inside provides a view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. These glazed panels of the façade are arranged as planes of variable slant all along the length of the building and create undulations that accompany the flow of the ring road. From being heavy and static, the building has become animated.