Paris, with support from Autodesk, has just announced the winner of its design competition aimed at reshaping the area surrounding the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral. This competition was launched in 2021 alongside the ongoing restoration efforts of the cathedral. The City of Paris invited four global multidisciplinary teams, each led by architects, urban planners, and landscape architects, to present their vision for the urban landscape near the cathedral. The competition site encompasses the cathedral's forecourt, its underground spaces, and the riverside areas along the Seine.
Today, the City of Paris revealed that the team headed by Bureau Bas Smets emerged victorious, selected by the jury as the top contender in this international contest. The announcement came from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and first deputy mayor Emmanuel Grégoire.
Attached is an aerial image of the Notre-Dame surroundings, captured by Studio Alma for the BBS Group.
In the realm of preserving and enhancing French heritage, digital technologies play a pivotal role. As the technological partner for this competition, Autodesk provided extensive technical assistance to the City of Paris. Utilizing Autodesk’s Building Information Modeling (BIM) solutions, the teams were equipped with a detailed 3D model of the area around the Notre-Dame Cathedral to better grasp the site's constraints.
Autodesk collaborated closely with the four competing teams to generate photorealistic visuals of their proposed designs. Digital documents and models were shared across the teams, the City of Paris, and Autodesk via the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform, enabling real-time collaboration. By visualizing the project in 3D, the City anticipates minimizing errors, improving clarity, and fostering stronger teamwork with the winning team. All designs will be open for public viewing, giving Parisians insight into the future development plans for Notre-Dame’s surroundings.
Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy mayor of Paris, remarked, "The 3D visualization of the candidates' projects, made possible through Autodesk technology, allowed the jury to fully immerse themselves in the redevelopment proposals for this historic Parisian district and select the best design. We hope millions of visitors will enjoy this exceptional site post-construction."
Charlotte Fagart, a landscape architect from Bureau Bas Smets, noted, "Our project envisions the iconic public spaces around Notre-Dame as an assembly of climatic atmospheres. Working sessions with the Autodesk team confirmed our initial project hypotheses, and the model greatly aided the jury’s comprehension by immersing them in different parts of the project."
Nicolas Mangon, VP of AEC Industry Strategy at Autodesk, added, "This project underscores Paris’s dedication to digital transformation, positioning itself as one of the leading 'cities of the future.' Digital technology is central to accelerating urban modernization. We’re proud to continue our partnership with the City of Paris on this digital journey. During this competition to reimagine the Notre-Dame area, intelligent 3D modeling, immersive visualization tools, and collaborative methodologies significantly sped up the jury’s decision-making process. These tools will enable both locals and tourists to virtually explore the rich history and heritage of Notre-Dame before the project’s completion."
With the winning team announced, all four designs are currently on display at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal in Paris. The City plans to start construction in 2024 and finish by 2028.
Explore all four projects:
1. Team Bureau Bas Smets, featuring GRAU (architects and urban planners) and Neufville-Gayet (heritage architects).
2. Team led by landscape architect Michel Desvignes, including Grafton Architects (Irish architects known for the prestigious Pritzker and Équerre d’Argent awards) and h2o, alongside Urban Eco (urban planners).
3. Team led by architects Aymeric Antoine and Pierre Dufour (Chief Architect of Historic Monuments) with Ateliers jours (landscapers) and Auxilia (town planners).
4. Team led by urban-landscape designer Jacqueline Osty & Associates (winners of the 2020 Urban Planning Grand Prize), with Bernard Desmoulin (architect) and Orma Architettura (heritage architects).
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