Sayart.net - BIG Wins French Congress Center Competition with Wave-Inspired Design Along the Seine

  • October 10, 2025 (Fri)

BIG Wins French Congress Center Competition with Wave-Inspired Design Along the Seine

Sayart / Published October 10, 2025 12:39 PM
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Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has been selected to design a new congress center in Rouen, France, featuring a distinctive wave-like roofline that pays homage to the Seine River. The project, nicknamed "The Sail," will be constructed along the riverbank in northern France and serves as both a civic gathering point and an international events venue designed to reconnect the city with its waterfront.

The 11,500-square-meter complex features a striking architectural design with a roofline that crests and dips like waves above the river, creating a dynamic silhouette against Rouen's historic skyline. Commissioned by Métropole Rouen Normandie and developed in collaboration with BLP & associés, the building will include two auditoriums, exhibition halls, meeting rooms, a restaurant, and various support spaces. The project aims to achieve Passivhaus certification, establishing a new standard for energy-efficient public architecture in France.

The building's design draws inspiration from Rouen's architectural heritage, with timber structures and facades that reinterpret the city's traditional half-timbered houses. From the river perspective, The Sail appears as a light, horizontal volume that rises gently above the landscape, while from the city side, its photovoltaic roof hovers over a new public forecourt that extends the urban fabric to the water's edge. The surrounding area combines open stone-paved plazas with clusters of trees and planted areas, creating shaded gathering spaces and green buffers around the site.

"Rising along the Seine, The Sail introduces a new silhouette to Rouen with its sweeping roofline paying tribute to the city's naval heritage and historic skyline of spires," said Jakob Sand, partner at BIG. He explained that the building greets visitors from the highway with a vertical facade, while on the city side, the roof creates sheltered canopies that extend the foyer into a human-scaled public landscape.

Sustainability features prominently in the design, with rainwater collected from the roof used to irrigate the planted zones throughout the complex. A network of pedestrian paths connects the center seamlessly to its surroundings, enhancing accessibility and integration with the existing urban environment. The building utilizes mass timber construction, daylight-optimized interiors, and an energy-producing roof, making it both a low-impact infrastructure project and a cultural hub.

Inside the congress center, a spacious, light-filled foyer serves as the central social space, linking all program areas throughout the building. A grand staircase provides access to the main auditorium, while overlapping levels connect the public and professional zones within The Sail. This design creates an inclusive space that serves both Rouen residents and visitors, offering a modern venue for cultural and business events while respecting the city's architectural traditions.

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has been selected to design a new congress center in Rouen, France, featuring a distinctive wave-like roofline that pays homage to the Seine River. The project, nicknamed "The Sail," will be constructed along the riverbank in northern France and serves as both a civic gathering point and an international events venue designed to reconnect the city with its waterfront.

The 11,500-square-meter complex features a striking architectural design with a roofline that crests and dips like waves above the river, creating a dynamic silhouette against Rouen's historic skyline. Commissioned by Métropole Rouen Normandie and developed in collaboration with BLP & associés, the building will include two auditoriums, exhibition halls, meeting rooms, a restaurant, and various support spaces. The project aims to achieve Passivhaus certification, establishing a new standard for energy-efficient public architecture in France.

The building's design draws inspiration from Rouen's architectural heritage, with timber structures and facades that reinterpret the city's traditional half-timbered houses. From the river perspective, The Sail appears as a light, horizontal volume that rises gently above the landscape, while from the city side, its photovoltaic roof hovers over a new public forecourt that extends the urban fabric to the water's edge. The surrounding area combines open stone-paved plazas with clusters of trees and planted areas, creating shaded gathering spaces and green buffers around the site.

"Rising along the Seine, The Sail introduces a new silhouette to Rouen with its sweeping roofline paying tribute to the city's naval heritage and historic skyline of spires," said Jakob Sand, partner at BIG. He explained that the building greets visitors from the highway with a vertical facade, while on the city side, the roof creates sheltered canopies that extend the foyer into a human-scaled public landscape.

Sustainability features prominently in the design, with rainwater collected from the roof used to irrigate the planted zones throughout the complex. A network of pedestrian paths connects the center seamlessly to its surroundings, enhancing accessibility and integration with the existing urban environment. The building utilizes mass timber construction, daylight-optimized interiors, and an energy-producing roof, making it both a low-impact infrastructure project and a cultural hub.

Inside the congress center, a spacious, light-filled foyer serves as the central social space, linking all program areas throughout the building. A grand staircase provides access to the main auditorium, while overlapping levels connect the public and professional zones within The Sail. This design creates an inclusive space that serves both Rouen residents and visitors, offering a modern venue for cultural and business events while respecting the city's architectural traditions.

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