“We want to create a village, not a monolith”: Henning Larsen to design NØRR office + cultural space in Paris

Henning Larsen drew inspiration from rural French villages for their design. At ground level, the scheme comprises 5,000 m2 of outdoor cafes, cultural space, and green gardens that are open to the public. In the upper office floors, instead of long empty hallways, occupants walk through smaller corridors that are marked by common socializing spaces.

“Our starting point was creating a design that could fulfill 55,000 m2 of space while giving off a smaller sense of scale. We want to create a village, not a monolith,” said Søren Øllgaard, Partner and Design Director at Henning Larsen, in a statement. “By gathering cultural venues and offices under the same roof, NØRR reimagines work life with a Scandinavian emphasis on personal interaction and a close connection with nature.

This isn't the first time the Danish practice has won a design competition for a Parisian project. Just last month, Henning Larsen won the competition to redesign the Opéra Bastille landmark.