major art center to open on Paris Island this fall
A decade in the making, new modern art center Large will open this fall ParisÎle Seguin as a new destination for contemporary art housed in a sculptural building by RCR Architects. Developed by Groupe Emerige in collaboration with CALQ Architecture, the 5,000 square meter institution transforms the former industrial island – once home to the historic Renault factories – into a cultural hub where architecture, art and craft and landscape converge.
The inauguration report“Imaginary Engine: From Masterpieces of the Collection Renault to Artists of Today”, curated by Cecilia Alemani, will run from 17 October 2026 to 7 March 2027, combining works from the Renault collection with new installations by contemporary artists.
Large contemporary art center on Île Seguin | all images from Nicolas Trouillard courtesy of RCR Arquitectes and CALQ
RCR building shaped in corten steel and anodized aluminum
Designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Catalan office RCR Arquitectes, Large is designed as an architectural experience in itself. Clad in Corten steel and anodized aluminium, the building unfolds through compressed passageways, expansive porticoes and framed views across the Seine towards Meudon. Rather than separating architecture from exhibition design, the project uses changes in scale, filtered daylight and materiality to choreograph visitor 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 banks of the river.
Inside, about half of the building’s 5,000 square meters are devoted to exhibition galleries, including a 1,000 square meter main hall illuminated by natural light filtered by aluminum mashrabiya screens. Public spaces—including a café, bookstore, children’s workshop, and panoramic rooftop terrace designed by Constance Guisset—extend the institution beyond exhibition-making, positioning Large as an everyday urban destination as much as an art center.
designed by Catalan practice RCR Arquitectes, Large is designed as an architectural experience in itself
The opening exhibition explores the human-machine relationship
For his inaugural exhibition, Large turns to the industrial heritage of Île Seguin. ‘Imaginary Engine’ draws from Renault’s art collection of works by Victor Vasarely, Jean Dubuffet, Jean Tinguely and photographs by Robert Doisneau, while combining them with recent works that examine the evolving relationship between technology, work and society. Organized into five thematic chapters—My Thought Factory, Social Bodies, Motor Forces, Objects of Desire, and the Human Machine—the exhibition covers twentieth-century industrial utopias and contemporary technological transformations.
Seventeen new commissions have been created especially for the opening by artists such as 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 historic collections.
the building unfolds through compressed passageways, expansive galleries and framed views across the Seine towards Meudon
a new cultural destination for greater Paris
The large lot is 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 stretching along the Seine. Accessible primarily by foot, bike, 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 recently 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 Corten steel and anodized aluminum
