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

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 Look Back at Jean Nouvel’s Most Striking Architecture