The surroundings of Notre-Dame: a student competition to bring the construction site's fences to life

As part of the redevelopment of the area surrounding Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, the City of Paris is partnering with the Paris Council of Architecture, Urban Planning and the Environment (CAUE) to organize the student competition "Dressing the Palisades of the Notre-Dame Construction Site." Registration is open from April 10 to May 27.

What if the palisades of the Notre-Dame construction site became a space for artistic expression? This is the challenge of this student competition, launched to support the progress of the redevelopment of the area surrounding Notre-Dame.

While the interior restoration of the cathedral is complete, work on the surrounding area will begin in 2025 and continue until 2028. On the agenda: planting vegetation in the forecourt, redeveloping the basement into a reception area, opening onto the Seine, etc. The students' goal will be to bring the 400 meters of palisades to life by creating mediation materials to support the construction site and visitors to this exceptional site.

The competition is open to students from various disciplines: architecture, landscape, urban planning, graphic design, spatial design, applied arts, visual arts, cultural mediation, anthropology, tourism, etc. Gathered into teams, preferably multidisciplinary, they will choose one of the eight proposed lines of palisades, extending from the parvis of Notre-Dame to the tip of the Île de la Cité.

Using the resources at their disposal, participants will have carte blanche to create a strong visual identity that recounts the past, present, and future of the area surrounding Notre-Dame. They will be able to use the graphic tools of their choice: artistic illustrations, collages, photomontages, typographical games, visual timelines, testimonials, infographics... all tools are permitted to bring this space in the heart of Paris to life!

A conference and thematic visits will be offered in April and May to assist students. The final jury, composed of renowned professionals, will allow students to interact with experts and present their work to an audience of specialists.

This competition offers the eight winning teams a unique opportunity: to have their project exhibited in the center of the capital, in front of the 8 daily visitors to Notre-Dame Cathedral, not to mention the many passersby and curious onlookers who wander the forecourt. Their creations will be highlighted on 29.000 to 30 meters of fences for 80 to 7 months. In addition to this exceptional exhibition, each winning team will receive a financial prize of €17.

An evening will mark the launch of the competition on Thursday, April 10, 2025, with a presentation followed by a meet-up for students. The event is free and registration is required. For more information, visit the CAUE of Paris website.