In 1835, when the Plichon brothers set up their foundry in the heart of Chemin-Vert, it was to cast iron parts for the navy and the first French railroads. The site covered more than 3,000 m², employed up to sixty workers, and produced castings weighing up to ten metric tons. Nothing in this history foreshadowed that a century later, those same walls would serve as a blank canvas for immersive exhibitions.
It wasn’t until 2013 that Culturespaces rediscovered this industrial wasteland and envisioned, within its large steel hall, Paris’s first digital art center. A brick chimney, a pond, and a water tank: the foundry’s remnants have been preserved and harmoniously integrated into the exhibition experience. L’Atelier des Lumières opened its doors on April 13, 2018, and attracted 1.2 million visitors in its first year.
Atelier des Lumières
L’Atelier des Lumières: a 3,300-square-meter digital cathedral featuring 140 video projectors
The power of the venue lies in its raw, expansive spaces: beneath the original steel framework, La Halle features over 3,300 m² of projection surfaces, stretching from floor to ceiling, with a height of nearly ten meters. Complemented by a second space, Le Studio, dedicated to emerging digital artists, the Atelier des Lumières harnesses 140 video projectors and spatialized sound to achieve a single goal: to democratize access to culture by drawing visitors into the artwork itself. Visitors are free to wander around; they can sit on the floor and watch the images unfold on the walls. In short, the format is incredibly engaging and appeals to all ages.
Da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo in 360°
The season’s flagship program, “Renaissance: da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo,” takes visitors from Florence to Rome through the works of the three masters of the Quattrocento. For the first time in the venue’s history, the exhibition design incorporates atmospheric effects such as fog, smoke, and lasers—in addition to projections and lighting effects—featuring 3D models created from high-definition scans. Thomas Dechandon, lighting designer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games ceremonies, orchestrates the lighting; the voice of actor Féodor Atkine guides the narrative. More information and a link to the ticket office here.
Coldplay transforms the foundry into an immersive dance floor
On Friday and Saturday evenings, the hall takes on a new vibe with “Coldplay: A Film for the Future,” a 360° immersive experience centered on the album *Moon Music*. The projected film brings together more than 150 visual artists from 45 countries, each of whom worked independently on musical excerpts, without consultation or a shared artistic direction. The result, which has already been shown in London, Manchester, and Seoul, is best experienced standing up, glass in hand at the bar set up in the Halle, singing along to the lyrics projected on the walls in an XXL-style karaoke experience. More info and a link to ticket sales here.
Van Gogh in an augmented reality version
This is the highly anticipated return of the hit exhibition, now enriched with new interactive elements and a redesigned layout. From the landscapes of the northern Netherlands to the vibrant colors of Provence, the exhibition traces the evolution of the painter’s style through his most famous works. *Sunflowers*, *The Starry Night*, and his self-portraits come to life on the raw concrete walls of the former foundry. More info and a link to the ticket office here.
The Little Prince Celebrates His 80th Anniversary at the Atelier des Lumières
To mark the 80th anniversary of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novel (with over 300 million copies sold and translated into more than 600 official versions), the Atelier des Lumières is bringing “The Little Prince: The Immersive Odyssey” back to life for a limited time . The desert, asteroid B612, and the planets visited by the young hero come to life in 360°, in an experience designed for families. More info and a link to the ticket office here.
Atelier des Lumières