GrandPalais.fr : Great Staircase

Great Staircase

Great Staircase: A superb illustration of Art nouveau, the monumental Great Staircase is an instant eye-catcher. Serving as a reception area and the prestigious entrance to the future VIP lounge, it alone illustrates the majesty of the Grand Palais.
Balconies: The fine, understated contour of the balconies that run all the way round the Nave conceals little-known reception and exhibition areas. Only when they have been fully restored will it be possible to access this exceptional viewpoint that takes in the whole of the Nave.
Wolrd time clock: The world time clock has presided over a century of events in the Grand Palais, and, as a work of impressive scale and history, must be restored to its former role in the Nave.
Tympanum: Imagining the interaction and resonance between contemporary creation and heritage. This will be the challenge for the contemporary artist restoring and decorating the tympanum in the Grand Palais.
Corner glass roofs: On either side of the great staircase, the skylight windows in the corners of the building provide warm and intimate reception areas, a welcome counterpoint to the immensity of the Nave. Once restored, these shafts of light will create an even more graphic impact.
Regulation of the temperature in the Nave: Designing a temperature regulation system to operate under the biggest glass roof in Europe, covering a total area of 13,500 m2 (145,000 sq. ft.) for a volume of 450,000 m³ (15,890,000 ft³) is a massive challenge!
Mosaics and glass floors: More than just a restoration, the task of reconstituting the mosaics with their soft colours, and the glass tiles that are so typical of the early 20th century is an invitation to rediscover the sumptuous life and times of the Belle Époque.

Main entrance: It is through the majestic main entrance on Avenue Winston-Churchill that more than one and a half visitors each year enter the Grand Palais.
The pots à feu on the roof and the great sculptures on the pediment: These ornaments and large groups of sculptures make a major contribution to the building's overall impression of splendour: Alfred Picard, commissioner of the 1900 Universal Exhibition, attached particular importance to these curiosities that have since been damaged by the passage of time or simply disappeared.
Illuminations: The design of new illuminations for both inside and outside the Nave is a major and ambitious project for the 21st century and an exciting challenge on the scale of the building itself.

The VIP Lounge: Centrepiece of the restoration project for the Grand Palais, the renovation of the VIP Lounge will enable businesses, patrons and the general public to discover this sumptuous area of 1,200 m2 (12,900 sq. ft.) located in the heart of the building.
The South-East Gallery: A new area with 700 m2 (7,500 sq. ft.) of floor space, the gallery will be able to host events such as exhibitions and fashion shows. Events here will be bathed in outstanding natural vertical light streaming down through the glass overhead.
The Fine Arts Staircase: A jewel in the Grand Palais' crown, the Fine Arts Staircase offers a warm and inviting reception area and an exclusive facility in which to welcome guests. Its discrete atmosphere is enhanced by a staircase that lends a magical sense of elevation as it leads upward to the balconies in the Nave.

Prestigious access, singular area

The Great Staircase is today a superb area of more than 5,380 sq. ft. for receptions and exhibitions, that overlooks the whole Nave.
It can be further embellished, notably by restoring its mosaic floors and its hard limestone steps. The structure will be restored using the original materials and colours. The splendid view of the dome and the architecture of the Nave are sure to offer guests in the VIP lounge unforgettable hospitality.

See the media:The Great Staircase is an immediate eye-catcher.

Located in the heart of the Nave, the Great Staircase is an immediate eye-catcher. © Coll. Grand Palais, cliché François Tomasi

Unrivalled exemplary Art

A masterpiece of Art nouveau, the Great Staircase rises from both sides of the Paddock and is an immediate eye-catcher. Large bronze initials "RF" (République Française) on either side of the balustrades testify to the involvement of the French State in the edification of the building to the glory of French art. This area in the Grand Palais was for decades the prestigious entrance to the VIP lounge (Salon d'honneur), via a door with a semicircular arch is currently bricked up. Reopening this door would re-establish the original main axial passage between the Nave and the Palais d'Antin, recreating the original fluid circulation through the building and its magnificent volumes.

Technical information

Work: Metalwork and wrought iron, marble work and stone flooring, structural reinforcement, paintwork and decoration
Area: 5,380 sq. ft. of modular landings.
Future use: Temporary exhibitions and receptions, concerts, dance performance
Schedule: Duration: 6 months

Medias

Photo gallery

The Great Staircase

Contact

mecenat@rmngp.fr