OECD Headquarters, Paris

The OECD commissioned Pei Cobb Freed & Partners to rebuild its headquarters: master plan, architecture, envelope and interiors. The Paris practice SCAU (Macary, Menu et Delamain) was executive architect. In 2011 the project received the International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre.

The 22,000 m2 site lies near the Bois de Boulogne. Planning rules limited new construction above ground and required large parks to be kept, so a large part of the 73,000 m2 of gross area, which takes in the conference centre, dining and parking, was designed below ground. The campus combines old and new buildings.

The château gardens were redesigned to receive the new front-of-house spaces, among them a reception pavilion, a 300-seat restaurant and a catering facility. Underground, a new conference centre takes in thousands of international delegates and conference participants every year. The symbolic centre of the organisation, the renovated 7,000 m2 château, is kept for ceremonial meetings and for the offices of the directorate.

Headquarters and main workplace of the OECD staff; the conference centre hosts the organisation's meetings.

To attend an event at the conference centre, 2 rue André-Pascal, registration in advance is required; the entry badge is collected at the Welcome Pavilion on showing an identity card or passport and the email confirming registration.