City of Paris, supported by Autodesk, launches design competition to reimagine surrounding area of Notre-Dame de Paris

Posted on

Four international teams will submit proposals for the redesign of the urban landscape surrounding the cathedral

In parallel with the ongoing restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, the City of Paris has launched an international design competition to reimagine the space that surrounds this iconic landmark. The goal is to enhance the visitor experience and provide a deeper appreciation of the cathedral’s rich history and cultural significance. This initiative aims to transform the area into a more welcoming and meaningful place for both locals and tourists.

To support this ambitious project, Autodesk is providing advanced technological tools throughout the competition. The company will use its Building Information Modeling (BIM) solutions to create a detailed 3D model of the existing area around the cathedral. This model will serve as a critical resource for the competing teams, helping them understand the site’s constraints and develop innovative designs.

“Thanks to our partnership with Autodesk, we can visualize the candidates’ proposals in 3D and improve how the teams reimagine the future of this extraordinary site,” said Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy mayor of Paris. “Parisians and people from around the world who admire the setting of Notre-Dame will be able to immerse themselves in the transformation of this area.”

Model of Notre-Dame de Paris and project area created using Autodesk software

Notre-Dame de Paris: Revival of an exceptional site

The four finalists—selected from a total of 39 entries—will focus on several key areas:

  • The forecourt and its underground spaces, including the archaeological crypt and multi-level parking
  • The area stretching from Jean XXIII and ÃŽle-de-France squares (behind the cathedral) to the tip of the ÃŽle de la Cité
  • The banks of the Seine River
  • Adjacent streets: Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame, Rue de la Cité, and Quai de l’Archevêché
Notre-Dame surrounding area

Visual representation of the project site: Notre-Dame surrounding area

Digital technologies at the heart of French heritage

Autodesk has a long-standing presence in France and has supported many iconic projects across the country. Following the success of a similar competition for the Eiffel Tower forecourt in 2018, the City of Paris continues its digital transformation, positioning itself as a leading "city of the future." Digital tools are now central to its urban development strategy, blending innovation with historical preservation.

Notre-Dame surrounding area

Visual representation of the project site: Notre-Dame surrounding area

Throughout the competition, all teams and the City will use open standards like openBIM and IFC, and collaborate through Autodesk Docs, a cloud-based common data environment. Autodesk will provide the 3D digital model of the area and assist in creating virtual tours for each proposal. These will be shared with the judges, and the winning design will also be featured in an interactive model and virtual tour.

“Autodesk is proud to continue our collaboration with the City of Paris and support the redevelopment of the area around Notre-Dame. By leveraging cutting-edge 3D design, BIM, and engineering technologies, the city is becoming a model for the future—preserving its heritage digitally while inspiring creativity for generations to come,” said Nicolas Mangon, vice president of AEC Industry Strategy at Autodesk.

The participating teams are composed of multidisciplinary groups led by architects, urban planners, and landscape designers, along with experts in heritage conservation, environmental planning, public space programming, and technical design. The four finalist teams are:

  • Michel Desvignes (landscape designer), Grafton Architects (Pritzker and Equerre d’Argent Prize winners), h20, and Urban Eco (town planner)
  • Aymeric Antoine and Pierre Dufour (architects), Ateliers jours (landscape designer), and Auxili (town planner)
  • Jacqueline Osty and associates, Bernard Desmoulin (architect), and Orma Architettura
  • Bureau Bas Smets (landscape designer), GRAU, and Neufville-Gayet (architects)

Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and will be completed by 2028, marking a new chapter in the story of one of the world’s most beloved landmarks.

Special Functional Fluorocarbon Materials

Carbon Fluoride Materials have been widely used in solid lubrication, corrosion protective and antifouling coating, flame retardant material, moderator of nuclear reactor and Li-CFx batteries due to the merits of extremely low surface energy, excellent chemical stability, outstanding heat endurance and super theoretical specific capacity.

Special Functional Fluorocarbon Materials,Fluorinated Graphene New Energy Battery Materials,Fluorinated Graphene Electronic Chemicals,Waterproof Anti-Corrosion Coating Materials

Shandong Zhongshan Photoelectric Materials Co., Ltd , https://www.cnzsem.com