The opening of the Bourse de Commerce art museum in Paris has been postponed until 2021. The historical building, renovated by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, was originally set to open its doors in June of this year.
The works, costing around $170 million, were almost finished on March 9th with the final touches left, after several years of renovations. However, the date has been pushed back as France has entered lockdown to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
“Following the announcement of the continuation of the confinement linked to the health crisis and given the uncertainty over when activity can resume, the work necessary for the completion of the Bourse de Commerce cannot be carried out according to the planned schedule,” the Fondation Pinault said in a recent statement.
The final phase of construction was originally set to take place over a 3 month period, however, due to the social distancing rules implemented by the French Government, this is now likely to last an estimated eight or nine-month period.
The 150,000-square-foot building is in the centre of Paris, in a neighbourhood that is being transformed, with the newly refurbished Forum des Halles shopping centre standing nearby. The museums 18th-century building contains a cupola that is listed as a historical monument. The area has hosted fashion designers such a Paul Smith and Lanvin, where they have held shows during Men’s Fashion Week.
Billionaire owner, of the Bourse de Commerce, François Pinault decided to push back the opening of his art museum until spring 2021 due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The Bourse de Commerce isn’t the only institution founded by Pinault to be impacted by the coronavirus. His private museums in Venice – the Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana—were forced to close temporarily as a result of the pandemic.
Pinault, whose collection includes works by Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, and other marquee names, is the founder of Kering, which owns brands like Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Yves Saint Laurent. He also made his fortune as a majority stakeholder in the Christie’s auction house.
