a new art center will open on paris’ île seguin in october, designed by RCR arquitectes
By claire brodka I designboom
A decade in the making, new contemporary art center Large is set to open this autumn on Paris‘ Île Seguin as a new destination for contemporary art housed inside a sculptural building by RCR Arquitectes. Developed by Groupe Emerige in collaboration with CALQ Architecture, the 5,000-square-meter institution transforms the former industrial island—once home to Renault’s historic factories—into a cultural hub where architecture, art, and landscape converge.
The inaugural exhibition, ‘Imaginary Engine: From Masterpieces of the Collection Renault to Artists of Today’, curated by Cecilia Alemani, runs from October 17, 2026, through March 7, 2027, bringing together works from the Renault collection with newly commissioned installations by contemporary artists.
Large contemporary art center on Île Seguin | all images by Nicolas Trouillard courtesy of RCR Arquitectes and CALQ
Designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Catalan practice RCR Arquitectes, Large is conceived as an architectural experience in itself. Clad in weathering Corten steel and anodized aluminum, the building unfolds through compressed passages, expansive galleries, and framed views across the Seine toward Meudon. Rather than separating architecture from exhibition design, the project uses changes in scale, filtered daylight, and materiality to choreograph visitors’ movement, creating what the architects describe as a continuous sensory journey. The centerpiece is a sweeping elevated volume that anchors the Pointe des Arts development while acting as a landmark visible from both riverbanks.
Inside, approximately half of the building’s 5,000 square meters are dedicated to exhibition galleries, including a 1,000-square-meter main hall illuminated by natural light filtered through aluminum mashrabiya screens. Public spaces—including a café, bookshop, children’s workshop, and panoramic rooftop terrace designed by Constance Guisset—extend the institution beyond exhibition-making, positioning Large as an everyday civic destination as much as an art center.
designed by Catalan practice RCR Arquitectes, Large is conceived as an architectural experience in itself
For its opening exhibition, Large turns to the industrial legacy of Île Seguin. ‘Imaginary Engine’ draws from the Renault art collection featuring works by Victor Vasarely, Jean Dubuffet, Jean Tinguely, and photographs by Robert Doisneau while pairing them with newly commissioned projects that examine the evolving relationship between technology, labor, and society. Organized into five thematic chapters—The Factory of My Thoughts, Social Bodies, Motor Forces, Objects of Desire, and The Human Machine—the exhibition spans twentieth-century industrial utopias and contemporary technological transformations.
Seventeen new commissions have been created specifically for the opening by artists including Théo Mercier, Sara Sadik, Bianca Bondi, Clément Cogitore, Bertrand Lavier, Mohamed El Khatib, Oliver Beer, Bertille Bak, Thu Van Tran, and Giulia Andreani. The exhibition continues Renault’s long-standing relationship with contemporary art while establishing Large’s commitment to supporting new artistic production alongside historical collections.
the building unfolds through compressed passages, expansive galleries, and framed views across the Seine toward Meudon
Large forms part of La Pointe des Arts, a 53,000-square-meter mixed-use development that also includes an eight-screen cinema, hotel, restaurants, offices, and public spaces extending along the Seine. Accessible primarily by foot, bicycle, tram, and metro, the project reconnects Île Seguin with the surrounding city after more than a century of industrial occupation.
The institution plans to present two exhibition seasons each year while focusing on artists living and working in France, combining historical exhibitions with newly commissioned works. Forty percent of the building remains freely accessible without an exhibition ticket, reinforcing its ambition to function as both a cultural institution and an open public space.
the structure is clad in weathering Corten steel and anodized aluminum
This article was originally published by Designboom.