Transformation of the Opéra Bastille: Baukunst in partnership with Pierre-Antoine Gatier among the finalists

The Brussels-based practice Baukunst, in association with French architect Pierre-Antoine Gatier, is among the five teams shortlisted for the competition to transform the Opéra Bastille.

This large-scale project concerns the refurbishment of 5,000 m² of public reception areas, as well as the redesign of the exterior spaces of the building inaugurated in 1989. The shortlisted teams are invited to rethink the Opéra’s relationship to the city and to envision new spaces of conviviality dedicated to cultural mediation and public engagement.

Led by the French Ministry of Culture, the competition forms part of a broader modernisation programme encompassing the four sites of the Opéra National de Paris (Palais Garnier, Opéra Bastille, Ateliers Berthier and the Nanterre Dance School).

Works are scheduled to take place between 2028 and 2030 and will be carried out while the building remains operational, followed by a subsequent upgrade of stage and technical equipment.

Shortlisted teams

• Pierre-Antoine Gatier (France) / Baukunst (Belgium)
• Bernard Desmoulin (France)
• Lina Ghotmeh (France/Lebanon)
• Grafton Architects (Ireland) / Martin Duplantier Architectes (France)
• Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos (Spain) / B+A Architectes (France)

The finalist teams will present their proposals at the end of summer 2026, with particular emphasis on strengthening the building’s urban interface and creating welcoming, publicly oriented spaces devoted to cultural mediation.

The winning team will be announced in September 2026.