The "Louvre New Renaissance" project continues to advance and take shape with significant new developments. On Thursday, July 31, just days after the Parisian museum launched a public consultation regarding this major undertaking, Culture Minister Rachida Dati revealed in a press release the composition of the jury for the prestigious international architecture competition announced in January by Emmanuel Macron. She added several clarifications about this major competition, celebrating it as "a historic turning point for the world's leading museum!" on social media platform X.
The jury is headed by Marc Guillaume, prefect of the Île-de-France region, and Laurence des Cars, president-director of the Louvre. This distinguished panel brings together several institutional figures including Jean-François Hébert (Director General of Heritage and Architecture at the Ministry of Culture), Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Christian Mourougane (president of OPPIC - Heritage and Cultural Real Estate Projects Operator), Francis Steinbock (deputy general administrator of the museum), and Arnaud Amelot (director of architecture and gardens at the Louvre).
The jury also features a prestigious assembly of architects and experts whose profiles combine heritage expertise with contemporary innovation. François Chatillon, chief architect of historical monuments, will serve as guarantor of the project's heritage coherence. The architectural panel includes Anne Démians, member of both the Academy of Fine Arts and Academy of Architecture, as well as Bernard Desmoulin, who notably completed the renovation and extension of the Cluny Museum and the auditorium of the Museum of Decorative Arts.
Other distinguished architects on the jury include Roger Diener, designer of the Shoah Memorial in Drancy; Lina Ghotmeh, who renovated the west wing of the British Museum in London; Hala Wardé, who collaborated with Jean Nouvel on the creation of the Louvre Abu Dhabi; and Li Chung Pei, son of Ieoh Ming Pei, the celebrated creator of the Louvre's pyramid.
Joining these architects are qualified personalities from the cultural world: Barry Bergdoll, professor at Columbia University and Pritzker Prize judge; Neil MacGregor, former director of London's National Gallery and the British Museum; Sam Keller, director of the Beyeler Foundation in Basel, specializing in contemporary museography; Émilie Girard, director of the museums of Strasbourg; Marie Lavandier, president of the National Monuments Center and heavily involved in mediation and inclusion issues; Sophie-Justine Lieber, director of Decorative Arts; and Simon Texier, art historian and secretary general of the Old Paris Commission. A consultative college without decision-making power completes this list of experts.
The stakes are colossal: the winning team of the architecture competition will be entrusted with the heavy and prestigious task of designing an additional entrance at the level of the Great Colonnade created under Louis XIV, new exhibition halls excavated under the Square Court (notably a 2,000 square meter setting for the Mona Lisa, whose inauguration in 2031 will constitute a historic event), as well as a "renovation plan for the establishment's heritage and infrastructure," the ministry's press release specifies.
This pharaonic project carries a cost of 800 million euros and was decided following an alarming report concerning the deterioration and degraded visiting conditions of the world's largest museum, which welcomes nine million visitors annually.
Rachida Dati also recalled in detail the competition timeline: after the candidate application deadline set for September 1, the jury must develop a selection of five proposals that will be unveiled in October. Then in January 2026, the winner will be designated. This represents a particularly tight schedule given the project's importance.
Who will win? Speculation is running high, but options remain numerous among the hundreds of expected applications. For the verdict, we'll have to wait a few more months!
The New Louvre project represents one of the most ambitious cultural undertakings in recent French history, aiming to address the museum's infrastructure challenges while enhancing the visitor experience for millions of annual guests. The international architecture competition has attracted global attention from the world's leading architectural firms, all vying for the opportunity to leave their mark on one of the world's most iconic cultural institutions.
The project's scope extends far beyond simple renovations, encompassing a complete reimagining of how visitors will experience the Louvre in the 21st century. The planned underground expansion beneath the Square Court will significantly increase exhibition space, while the new entrance through the Great Colonnade will help distribute visitor flow more effectively throughout the massive complex.
The dedicated space for the Mona Lisa represents perhaps the most symbolically significant aspect of the renovation. Currently housed in a cramped space that struggles to accommodate the millions who come to see Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece each year, the new 2,000 square meter gallery will provide a more dignified and accessible setting for the world's most famous painting.
With the jury now finalized and the application deadline approaching rapidly, the global architecture community is preparing for what many consider the competition of the decade. The winning design will need to balance respect for the Louvre's historic architecture with the practical demands of modern museum operations, all while creating spaces worthy of the institution's unparalleled collection and international stature.
