Unveiling the Bourse de Commerce: A Hidden Gem of Parisian History

In the spring of 2023, I had the chance to meet Tadao Ando, ​​as his second architectural space opened in Museum San. Tadao Ando, ​​who appeared at the press conference, was a person born with the characteristically bold humor of an Osaka native. From the very beginning, he joked, “I came from Osaka yesterday. It’s a bit of a country town. I came from such a non-cultural place.” He continued to say in the lecture hall, “I’m enjoying it. The construction costs are paid by the client.” He also told an anecdote about how he tried to name his office dog after Kenzo Tange (1913-2005, a representative Japanese architect after the war), but people around him tried to stop him, saying that he thought of Le Corbusier instead, and so on. The time that could have been a solemn occasion flowed very smoothly thanks to his mischievous side.

One of Ando Tadao’s remarks that is still vivid in my memory is that the prerequisite for good architecture is a good client. Even if the architect designs, it is the building owner who plans the building and orders the construction. He said that mutual trust between the building owner and the architect must come first in order to achieve the goal. He said that he was embarrassed when he received a request from Lee In-hee, an advisor at Hansol Group, to design Museum San in a deep mountain where no one would come, but he was able to proceed smoothly with the design thanks to the architect’s firm determination to create the world’s best art museum.

There was another opportunity to examine Ando Tadao’s architectural philosophy and beliefs. I took advantage of the gap between the press conference and the lecture to visit the ‘Ando Tadao – Youth’ special exhibition. At the entrance to the exhibition hall, there was Ando Tadao’s green apple sculpture, inspired by the poem by poet Samuel Ullman, ‘Youth is not a time of life, but a state of mind.’ To Ando Tadao, youth is the passion itself that does not lose the freedom of thought, and this attitude becomes the strength to break through the frame of thinking that perceives age as a limitation.

Among the many design drawings in the exhibition hall, the most impressive one was the Bourse de Commerce. It is an art museum built by adding a modern structure to a building that was used as a grain storage and a commodities exchange in Paris, France. It underwent a three-year renovation in order to open the modern and contemporary art collection of François Pinault, head of the Kering Group and owner of the art auction house Christie’s, to the public. Although it used concrete, Tadao Ando’s signature architectural style, as the main material, it was different from what we had seen before. It was different in that it was a renovation of an existing building rather than a new construction. There was opposition and dissuasion from those around him in the process of changing the original form of a historical building, but Tadao Ando did not give in and completed his goal. After seeing the design, I decided that if I go to Paris, I must visit this place.

As soon as I arrived in Paris, I looked for a suitable day to visit Bourse de Commerce. I wanted a clear day somehow, and I wanted to stay leisurely for more than half a day. My lover and exhibition mate Y and I made a rule to maintain perfect physical strength and moderate hunger before seeing the exhibition. This is because you can concentrate on the act of viewing only when your body and mind are not strained. Gallery exhibitions have relatively few works, so you can see them lightly, but art galleries and museums require prior preparation to see them properly. On a refreshing spring day in April, we had a simple brunch at home and headed to Bourse de Commerce.

In terms of landmarks in Paris, Bourse des Commerces is located between the Louvre and the Pompidou. As if by fate, Kim Soo-ja’s first exhibition by a Korean artist was being held here along with Pinault’s collection. Kim Soo-ja was granted Carte Blanche, which gives the artist full authority over the exhibition from planning to realization, and participated in the exhibition. Her work resonated with the main space of Bourse des Commerces, the Rotunda, and the concrete walls by Tadao Ando surrounding it. It turned out to be 418 mirrors. The “To Breathe – Constellation” on the floor of the Rotunda reflects the semicircular ceiling dome on the floor, infinitely connecting the sky and the earth. In the world created by the round sphere, each visitor seemed to enjoy their own stage. Mysterious scenes were projected before their eyes, such as strolling around or lying down and looking up at the ceiling.

The concrete cylinder designed by Tadao Ando creates a sense of unity with the geometric forms of the existing building, and exudes a modern aesthetic. At the same time, it makes the rotunda, dome, and 19th-century frescoes, which contain historical symbolism, stand out even more. The cylinder, which is 9 meters high and 30 meters in diameter, is also the result of a meticulous design that allows visitors to enjoy the magnificent view of the dome from anywhere on the second floor. The passageway created by the cylinder displays 24 show windows, and as you walk along it, you reach all the exhibition rooms from the basement to the second floor via stairs. It is a structure that constantly circulates inside and outside the concrete walls, up and down, and encounters the works. These curves and overlaps show Tadao Ando’s outstanding technique.

As we moved through the exhibition halls, we could sense the architectural beauty of the Bourse de Commerce. In between, works by contemporary artists such as Maurizio Cattelan, Cindy Sherman, Damien Hirst, and Ryan Gander were placed indifferently. When we were so absorbed in the exhibition that we suddenly felt tired, we headed to the café inside the museum. In most cases, the café inside the museum has a great view or is likely to have comfortable seats that are good for sitting for a long time.

The restaurant Al au Grain, located at the very top, completes the artistic experience here. Led by the star chef family Michel and Sébastien Brass, this Michelin-starred restaurant (to be awarded a Michelin star in 2024) pays homage to the building’s 200-year-old history as a grain storage facility, and focuses on healthy, contemporary dishes based on seeds, grains and legumes.

From the moment you enter Al O Grand, being guided to your table, and enjoying your meal, the whole process is ecstatic. For lunch, you can choose from 3 or 6 courses, and for dinner, there are only 6 courses. If you are not sure what to eat, you can enjoy afternoon tea, coffee, and dessert. Whether it is a meal or dessert, the avant-garde and creative plating, just like the museum’s collection, immediately catches your eye. Even if you are assigned a terrace view seat, it is too early to be disappointed. You can enjoy the romantic city view with a panoramic view!

It was also fun to look at the delicate and sophisticated furniture and objects, and as expected, they were the work of the world-renowned designer duo, the Bouroullec brothers. Above all, it was attractive to be able to enjoy a meal while looking down at the glass dome, which can be called the heart of Bourse de Commerce, and the works surrounding it. If I lived in Paris, I would have definitely made this place my hideout and visited it often.