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The Louvre tapped two architectural firms to lead a massive $1 billion overhaul and expansion of the art museum. New York’s Selldorf Architects and STUDIOS Architecture Paris will team up to handle the project, which has been in the works since the start of 2025.
According to a press release from The Louvre, the substantial undertaking will focus on transforming the museum’s Grande Colonnade entrance to include two new underground entrances and improved walkways aimed at helping mitigate crowds. The plan also includes improved security and a dedicated gallery space for Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. This step forward in the renovation process comes just eight months after the shocking jewelry heist that took place in the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery.
The two firms were selected by a jury from a pool of five other shortlisted teams. Each team was tasked with submitting a proposal outlining their approach to the renovations. A press release from The Louvre explains that the proposal from Selldorf Architects and STUDIOS Architecture Paris was selected “for the excellence of its architectural vision and its integration into the site’s heritage, urban, and landscape context.”
Selldorf’s prior projects include renovating New York’s Frick Collection, while STUDIOS Architecture Paris previously worked on the construction of French real estate company Covivio’s European headquarters, L’Atelier. The release continues, describing how the proposal combines “urban, architectural, and landscape vision” to create “an elegant connection between the city, the palace, and the museum, while developing a sensitive geography of movement attentive to the visitor experience from the surrounding public spaces through the interior of the museum.”
French president Emmanuel Macron first introduced the ambitious project, dubbed the “Nouvelle Renaissance,” in 2025. Initial estimates from the Louvre’s previous director, Laurence des Cars, estimated the cost to be around €270 million ($315 million), according to Artnet. However, the French national auditing authority has projected the final cost to be closer to €1.1 billion ($1.3 billion). Despite the high price tag, the museum’s current director, Christophe Leribault, told Le Monde the project is “crucial and necessary” for The Louvre. He went on to emphasize, “We cannot continue to welcome nine million visitors through the Pyramid entrance.”