French architect Jean Nouvel workshop sues Paris concert hall

The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, March 28, 2024


French architect Jean Nouvel workshop sues Paris concert hall
Jean Nouvel is responsible for the design of over 200 buildings the world over.



PARIS (AFP).- Top architect Jean Nouvel is suing one of his former clients, the Philharmonie concert hall in Paris, in a dispute over the cost of building the venue, which opened in 2015.

In a complaint filed in the Paris court on October 14, his company Ateliers Jean Nouvel counters a 170-million-euro ($190-million) claim lodged by the Philharmonie de Paris against his company.

The concert hall argues the architect's firm owes them the money because of budget overruns during the building of the hall, sources told AFP Monday.

But the counter-claim filed by the architect's studio describes that demand as "exorbitant" and "unjustified", according to documents seen by AFP.

The cost of the building rose from 173 million euros when the project was announced in 2006 to 386 million euros by the time it opened on January 14, 2015. Each side blames the other for having mismanaged the project.

In April 2017, the body responsible for managing the concert hall sent a bill of 170.6 million euros to the architect, which included penalties for late delivery.

For Ateliers Jean Nouvel, this claim was "totally disproportionate, not only in the absolute, but also relative to the sums that were actually received" by the architect, which according to the legal document seen by AFP came to 12 million euros.

Nouvel's lawyers, William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, said the claim against their client was all the more unusual for the fact that the concert hall was targeting only the architect and no other business involved in the project.

The Philharmonie was knowingly going after funds it knew were not owed, they argued.

Later Monday, Philharmonie de Paris reacted to the legal action against it, calling the accusations "completely unfounded".

"There is not a victim and an aggressor here, but two parties facing each other who claim substantial sums from each other," the public body said in a statement.

Nouvel and the Philharmonie have been in engaged in a very public war of words in the media and the courts since the concert hall's inauguration.

Nouvel refused to attend the event, insisting that work on the building was not ready.

At the time Nouvel, who won architecture's top global award, the Pritzker Prize, in 2008, wrote a lengthy complaint about the affair published in the daily Le Monde.


© Agence France-Presse










Today's News

October 22, 2019

Jennifer Angus' largest insect art installation dazzles at the MFA, St. Petersburg

Christie's to offer monumental canvas by Yves Klein

Major exhibition at MoMA displays over 100 important works by Latin American artists

Artist Huang Yong Ping dies at the age of 65

Ramsay Fairs add VOLTA to their portfolio of art fairs

Startled marmot and a fox lead the way at Wildlife Photography Awards

French architect Jean Nouvel workshop sues Paris concert hall

The Cleveland Museum of Art announces stellar group of new acquisitions

Kasmin opens 'James Rosenquist: Two Paintings'

Chisenhale Gallery Director Polly Staple appointed Director of Collection, British Art at Tate

In Dijon, where mustard rules, you can also meet an ancient goddess

When Mary met Edgar: Exploring Cassatt and Degas

Blue-chip gallery shows and art fairs hit New York for October Art Week

Ketterer Kunst announces anniversary auction in Munich - 19th Century Art

"Enigma Pinocchio. From Giacometti to LaChapelle" opens today at Villa Bardini, Florence

East Hampton Historical Society presents 'Thomas Moran Discovers the American West'

Exhibition explores connections between post-war Italian art and design

Istanbul Research Institute opens "Memories of Humankind: Stories from the Ottoman Manuscripts"

Nelson-Atkins exhibition features latest technological breakthroughs in accessible design

Joy Labinjo opens her first major institutional solo presentation at BALTIC

Exhibition explores the rich history of food photography

High Museum of Art awarded Bank of America Art Conservation Project grant for Thornton Dial works

Important works by Nathan Oliveira and the Robin Leach Collection fuel Clars sale

University Archives auction will include items pertaining to the Beatles, Apollo 11, Paul Gauguin




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful