EW was present yesterday at the launch of the new Paris Convention Center, formerly pavilion 7 of the Parc des Expositions at the Porte de Versailles.
The venue was designed by the Valode and Pistre agency on behalf of Viparis. It is now the largest convention centre in Europe.
Guests at the event took in the venue, which features 72,000m2 of surface area, a capacity of 35,000 people, and a plenary room of 5,200 seats.
Valode and Pistre kept the megastructure of the existing Pavilion 7 of the Parc des Expositions at the Porte de Versailles, while refurbishing the insides part of a €500m project.
Movable partitions create up to 50 rooms at the venue. For the facade, the architects wanted to open the building on the city by making it transparent.
"The design of the canopies creates a wave, a rhythm that inscribes it in the movement of the park", said architect Jean Pistre.
The building features a 5,000sqm Park on the top floor and an event space balcony which overlooks the iconic Eiffel Tower.
The project has so far taken two years. Yesterday’s event marks the end of the first phase - out of three - of the restructuring of the Parc des Expositions.
The second phase is now launched with the creation of two hotels, including a Novotel.
“The ambition is to make Paris expo a new city district and make it the leading congress site in Europe," said Christophe Cuvillier, Unibail-Rodamco's CEO. "We now have the opportunity to welcome very large conferences, which ensures the influence and considerable economic benefits for Paris. "
"The business tourism figures are of almost dizzying importance," said Jean-Francois Martins, deputy Mayor of Paris to tourism.
Paris’ congresses represent €1.2bn In revenue.
The centre aims to host 75 events in two years, including 55 conferences. 15 have already been signed and the first congress, organised by the European Society of Rheumatology, which will be held on 7 December.
