Bordeaux: Contemporary Architecture in the city center

Bordeaux has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few decades, shedding its former nickname of “Sleeping Beauty” and reclaiming a vibrant urban identity. Historically, the city has always possessed a strong architectural and urban culture: its riverfront façade and Place de la Bourse stand as enduring symbols of 18th-century prosperity, Haussmann’s interventions left subtle imprints on its fabric, and the design of the Grand Théâtre went on to inspire major opera houses of the 19th century. Despite this rich heritage, Bordeaux gradually slipped into decline, long perceived as a dark, static, and overlooked city. Over the last twenty-five years, however, it has reinvented itself in depth. With its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, Bordeaux regained its stature as a regional capital and has since become one of the most attractive cities in France, expected to reach one million inhabitants by 2030. Today, it presents the image of a neoclassical city whose historic core is complemented by a constellation of contemporary architectural landmarks.

The visit begins along the Garonne River quays and the iconic Water Mirror designed by Michel Corajoud, a symbolic starting point for understanding the city’s redevelopment strategy since 1995. This first section provides an opportunity to explore the major planning principles that shaped Bordeaux’s renewal, before continuing through the city center on an urban stroll punctuated by contemporary spaces such as Square Vinet by Michel Desvigne and Patrick Blanc, Philippe Starck’s Mama Shelter, and the Bordeaux Law Courts by Richard Rogers, all set against a backdrop of historic monuments including the Rohan Palace and the Grand Théâtre. The second part of the tour shifts toward major ongoing development areas, most notably the ambitious Euratlantique project, offering the possibility to discover some of its most emblematic achievements such as the MECA cultural center designed by the Danish firm BIG.