Paris 9 - Hotel Drouot

Hotel Drouot, Paris, France
Monday 19 Mar 2007

Going once..... going twice

Christies and Sotheby’s turn up the heat on French auctioneers

Due to new European regulations introduced in the early part of this century French auctioneers, otherwise known as Commissaire-Priseurs, no longer hold the monopoly on auctions and the French auction market was opened up to outside competition. Naturally, Christies and Sotheby’s are now present in Paris and are turning the heat up on Hotel Drouot an auction house in Paris. Subsequently, Hotel Drouot decided to launch an architectural competition to renovate their dated existing building. The competition brief, with a budget of 10 million Euros includes a new portion of façade and new entrance location without demolishing the totality of the building. The new design will Increase the building surface area from 5,500sqm to 6,000sqm and New auction rooms with flexible hanging systems and adjustable ceiling heights will create different moods depending on auction theme. It will also include a new central gallery space with seating, bookshop, bank and information points.

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/in … n.showhome