Paris: After music, contemporary art claims its place on the Ile Seguin

Like a phoenix rising from the waters of the Seine, the island Seguin further affirms its cultural vocation in the greater Paris region. After the creation of the Seine Musicale, which will open its doors in Spring 2017, a large cultural and artistic hub is set to open in 2021 on the other end of the island.

The blueprints of this future art center - to be built upstream of the island Seguin in the western Paris - have been highly anticipated. The former industrial site of the Renault factories, the Île Seguin will be more than just a cradle of music in the greater Paris region - it will also be a representative of culture in a broad sense.

Contemporary art exhibition venues will be a regular occurence at the venue. An art center will house the Laurent Dumas collection, made up of creations of historical and emerging artists, French and international in the fields of painting, drawing, sculpture and contemporary installations, and more.

Music, painting, sculpture, and photography

More generally, the future art center aims to resonate with the young French and international art scene, build bridges between various art movements and periods, and establish a connection with the Seine Musicale located at the other end of Seguin Island. In April 2017, the new musical city hosted Laurence Equilbey, female conductor, at the head of her musical ensemble, Insula Orchestra.

This gathering of contemporary art includes the Renault* art collection: three hundred and fifty works - paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and architectural integrations - in addition to some 200 original photographs by Robert Doisneau. The famous photographer worked for Renault from 1934 to 1956.

The Giacometti Foundation, named after the Swiss sculptor and contemporary painter, will also collaborate in the realization of the art center, which aims to become one of the hubs of contemporary French culture. Art will definitely claim its place on the West Island of Paris, but it won't stop there: entertainment will be a major factor on the perimeter of the island.

An artsy hotel: a work of art in each room

At the tip of this cultural oasis nestled in the corners of the Seine, an art-centric hotel with 220 rooms will rise like the prow of a ship. Works of art will be installed in each room. On the rooftop: a swimming pool, a spa, a bar with panoramic terrace to admire, in the distance, the heart of the capital.

Nearby, guests will have a view of a pedestrian street populated by terraces, covered gardens and a complex of 8 cinemas, as well as restaurants, bars, and other design shops - a multitude of great attractions, truly earning the Ils Seguin its title of a top cultural center in the greater Paris region.

There will also be more peaceful areas. In search of a little quiet? Head to the walk along the water that will allow everyone to enjoy a haven of nature, the only sounds being the soft lapping of the Seine.

The site is symbolized by a hand of concrete rising out of land stretched in the direction of the Eiffel Tower as if to invite it to conversation - a sort of link between the heart of Paris and the west of the capital, new El Dorado of Parisian culture.

* The Renault-Billancourt car plant occupied Seguin Island from 1929 to 1992.

Boulogne-Billancourt 

ile seguin, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt