CULTURE

It’s Jean Nouvel’s World, We’re Just Living in It

On the occasion of the premiere of Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary Jean Nouvel: Reflections, a look at the French Pritzker Prize-winning architect’s most iconic work.


From a desert island in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi to downtown Barcelona to the edges of Central Park, the French architect Jean Nouvel has left his mark all over the world over the last few decades — starting most notably with the Arab Institute in Paris, a glass-paneled structure whose fresh façade barely betrays that construction that actually began in the early 80’s. And while much of Nouvel’s work is Middle Eastern and Islamic-inspired — the Arab Institute, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Qatar’s Doha Tower, for starters — Nouvel will tell you that his signature style is that he doesn’t exactly have one.

Instead, Nouvel simply adapts to his environment, as he’s chosen to do with 53W53, a Midtown Manhattan residency and extension of MoMA whose 82 crystalline stories will soon tower over the one major city he seems to have left relatively untouched. Construction is still underway, but the space is nonetheless hosting the (offsite) premiere and celebration of Jean Nouvel: Reflections, a documentary by Matt Tyrnauer covering the Pritzker Prize winner’s past and present, tonight. On its occasion, we revisit Nouvel’s most iconic designs, here.

A View of Jean Nouvel’s Most Striking Architecture

Rendering of 53 West 53rd Street.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel

National Museum of Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 2008 – under construction.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel

Philharmonie de Paris concert hall, Paris, France, 2015.

Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images

Torre Agbar, Barcelona, Spain, 2005.

De Agostini/Getty Images

100 11th Avenue, New York, USA, 2005 – 2010.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Delivery architect: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects. Photo by Philippe Ruault

Arab World Institute, Paris, France, 1981 – 1987.

Jean Nouvel, Gilbert Lézénès, Pierre Soria, Architecture Studio. Photo by Georges Fessy.

Arab World Institute, Paris, France, 1981 – 1987.

Jean Nouvel, Gilbert Lézénès, Pierre Soria, Architecture Studio. Photo by Georges Fessy.

The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London, United Kingdom, 2010.

Jean-Marc Zaorski/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Doha High Rise Office Building, Doha, Qatar, 2002 – 2012.Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photo by CSCEC

Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photo by CSCEC

Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, EAU, 2007– under construction.

© TDIC. Ateliers Jean Nouvel

Doha High Rise Office Building, Doha, Qatar, 2002 – 2012.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photo by CSCEC

National Museum of Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 2008 – under construction.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel

Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, EAU, 2007– under construction.

© TDIC. Ateliers Jean Nouvel

Torre Agbar, Barcelona, Spain, 2005.

Luis Gene/AFP/Getty Images

Torre Agbar, Barcelona, Spain, 2005.

Getty Images

One Central Park with vertical garden by Patrick Blanc, Sydney, Australia, 2014.

Getty Images

Doha High Rise Office Building, Doha, Qatar, 2002 – 2012.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel. Photo by CSCEC

100 11th Avenue, New York, USA, 2005 – 2010.

Oliver Morris/Getty Images

Arab World Institute, Paris, France, 1981 – 1987.

De Agostini/Getty Images

Arab World Institute, Paris, France, 1981 – 1987.

De Agostini/Getty Images

Kilometro Rosso Science Park Via Stezzano 87, Bergamo, Italy, 2007.

UIG/Getty Images

The Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2006.

Craig Lassig/AFP/Getty Images

Kilometro Rosso, Kilometro Rosso Science Park Via Stezzano 87, Bergamo, Italy, 2007.

UIG/Getty Images
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A Look Back at Jean Nouvel’s Most Striking Architecture