“We want to create a village, not a monolith”: Henning Larsen to design NØRR office + cultural space in Paris

Henning Larsen Architects had the winning bid to design a new 55,000m2 office and cultural center called NØRR in Paris' Saint-Denis neighborhood in France. Vying to create a more human-oriented office, the design brings together 50,000 m2 of workspace with lush terraces, natural daylight, and a sense of community, which reflect today's shifting attitudes toward office design. 

Located within an area of significant new development, NØRR won't be far from projects by other big-name firms like Snøhetta and Kengo Kuma, as well as the new aquatics center for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

The practice has only released two renderings so far, but read on for a glimpse into their winning design.

Henning Larsen drew inspiration from rural French villages for their design. At ground level, the scheme comprises 5,000 m2 of outdoor cafes, cultural space, and green gardens that are open to the public. In the upper office floors, instead of long empty hallways, occupants walk through smaller corridors that are marked by common socializing spaces.

“Our starting point was creating a design that could fulfill 55,000 m2 of space while giving off a smaller sense of scale. We want to create a village, not a monolith,” said Søren Øllgaard, Partner and Design Director at Henning Larsen, in a statement. “By gathering cultural venues and offices under the same roof, NØRR reimagines work life with a Scandinavian emphasis on personal interaction and a close connection with nature.

This isn't the first time the Danish practice has won a design competition for a Parisian project. Just last month, Henning Larsen won the competition to redesign the Opéra Bastille landmark.