The Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain is set to reopen on October 25, 2025, at its new location at 2 Place du Palais-Royal in Paris, featuring a groundbreaking architectural transformation by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel. The project completely reimagines the historic 19th-century Grands Magasins du Louvre as what Nouvel describes as a "mobile organism" for contemporary art. The inaugural exhibition, titled "Exposition Générale," has been designed by the acclaimed design collective Formafantasma and will showcase more than 600 works by over 100 artists.

Nouvel's architectural transformation represents a radical departure from traditional museum design, introducing a system of five monumental moving platforms within the restored Haussmannian shell. Each platform measures 250 square meters and weighs 250 tons, capable of rising and descending through a sophisticated cable-and-pulley system developed in collaboration with specialists in bridge and theater design. This innovative mechanism allows for infinite reconfigurations of the exhibition spaces, creating an ever-changing topography that can expand, contract, or completely disappear based on curatorial needs.

The architectural philosophy behind the project emphasizes transparency and fluidity. "Everything must be removed," Nouvel insisted during the design process, "so that the gaze can pass through an unobstructed space." The building functions as a vast mechanical organism where skylights transform into luminous floors, shutters slide like theatrical curtains to modulate natural light, and the traditional boundaries between interior and exterior spaces dissolve. Along the Saint-Honoré facade, a 150-meter-long glass canopy creates a sheltered pedestrian route connecting Rue de Rivoli to the Palais-Royal, featuring seven-meter-high windows that transform the site into what Nouvel calls a "transparent urban stage."

The inaugural "Exposition Générale" exhibition deliberately references the building's rich historical legacy. Originally constructed in 1855 for the first Paris World Fair, the former Grands Magasins du Louvre once hosted grand industrial exhibitions that showcased modern innovations. Formafantasma's scenographic design for the reopening draws inspiration from 19th-century trade fair display systems while reimagining the exhibition as both a social and experimental field. The design collective has positioned the artworks within a network of exchange between different disciplines, historical eras, and worldviews.

The exhibition is organized around four thematic sections that fully utilize Nouvel's flexible architectural system. "Machines d'architecture" transforms the first platform into an urban laboratory featuring visionary designs and utopian models, including Alessandro Mendini's miniature cathedral and Freddy Mamani's vibrant Salón de eventos, all reimagining the city as a site of transformation. "Être nature" shifts focus to the living world, converting interior spaces into sensorial ecosystems where Solange Pessoa's feathered installation hovers above works by notable artists including Claudia Andujar, Giuseppe Penone, and Bernie Krause.

The remaining sections continue to explore diverse artistic territories within the dynamic exhibition spaces. "Making Things" examines the fluid boundaries between traditional craft, contemporary design, and fine art, while "Un monde réel" investigates the intersections of science, technology, and fiction through immersive installations. Notable works in this final section include Sarah Sze's "Tracing Falling Sky" and Diller Scofidio + Renfro's data-driven installation "EXIT," both of which engage with contemporary technological themes.

The impressive roster of featured artists spans multiple generations and artistic practices, including celebrated names such as David Lynch, Patti Smith, James Turrell, Junya Ishigami, Cai Guo-Qiang, and many others from the Fondation's extensive collection. Formafantasma's curatorial approach emphasizes the performative dimension of both showing and viewing art, using carefully considered materials, lighting schemes, and spatial rhythms that honor the heritage of the historic site while foregrounding contemporary artistic practices.

The reopening of the Fondation Cartier represents a significant moment in the evolution of museum architecture and exhibition design. By combining Nouvel's kinetic architectural vision with Formafantasma's innovative curatorial approach, the new space promises to redefine what a contemporary art institution can be. The project not only preserves the historical significance of the Grands Magasins du Louvre but transforms it into a cutting-edge venue that reflects the dynamic nature of contemporary artistic creation and presentation.