ART ON HOLD: Billionaire François Pinault has decided to push back the opening of his Bourse de Commerce art museum until spring 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The historical building, renovated by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, was originally due to be unveiled in June after several years of renovations. It was completed on March 9 and workers were busy putting the final touches to the venue when France entered its lockdown on March 17.
“Following the announcement of the continuation of the confinement linked to the health crisis and given the uncertainty over when activity can resume, the work necessary for the completion of the Bourse de Commerce cannot be carried out according to the planned schedule,” the Fondation Pinault said in a statement on Friday.
The City of Paris was in the process of completing construction work outside the building. Initially expected to last three months, this phase will now take an estimated eight or nine months due to the social distancing rules that are likely to remain in place once the lockdown is lifted, the institution explained.
The 150,000-square-foot building is in the center of Paris near the newly refurbished Forum des Halles shopping center, and in a neighborhood that
The historical building, renovated by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, was originally due to be unveiled in June after several years of renovations. It was completed on March 9 and workers were busy putting the final touches to the venue when France entered its lockdown on March 17.
“Following the announcement of the continuation of the confinement linked to the health crisis and given the uncertainty over when activity can resume, the work necessary for the completion of the Bourse de Commerce cannot be carried out according to the planned schedule,” the Fondation Pinault said in a statement on Friday.
The City of Paris was in the process of completing construction work outside the building. Initially expected to last three months, this phase will now take an estimated eight or nine months due to the social distancing rules that are likely to remain in place once the lockdown is lifted, the institution explained.
The 150,000-square-foot building is in the center of Paris near the newly refurbished Forum des Halles shopping center, and in a neighborhood that
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.