Hines, on behalf of Bayerische Versorgungskammer (BVK), has signed a lease with The European Parliament to welcome ‘Europa Experience’, a space open to the public, at 28 Madeleine in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
Hines, who acquired the space vacated by the Pinacothèque de Paris art gallery on behalf of the BVK fund, is revamping 1,500 square meters, spread over three levels which open onto the square.
The façade is being replaced and interior works are underway to prepare for the arrival of The European Parliament, which has leased the space in its entirety under a long-term lease to establish an innovative space which will be open to the public.
Opposite the church of the same name, 28 Madeleine, is set around a covered, paved interior courtyard, and stands on one of the most famous squares in Paris.
“We are obviously delighted to have fully leased the asset, and with France preparing to hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union, we are especially thrilled for Paris to be hosting the new ‘Europa Experience’ exhibition, developed by The European Parliament, which will be open to the public. 28 Madeleine is clearly retaining its credentials as an attractive Parisian address, open to as many people as possible.” said Xavier Musseau, senior managing director and head of France at Hines.
“Once the ambitious renovation led by our teams has been completed, the future 28 Madeleine will cement its status as a destination of choice.”
The European Parliament’s ‘Europa Experience’ project will move into 28 Madeleine in Paris in 2022. The ‘Europa Experience – Paris’ space will give the public the chance to embark on a European adventure via multimedia tours and interactive tools. The objective will be to discover more about how the European Union works and its role in the everyday lives of Europeans, taking inspiration from exhibitions in the ‘Parlementarium’ in Brussels – which has attracted numerous visitors.
‘Europa Experience’ spaces have already been established in the headquarters of The European Parliament in Strasbourg, and also in several other major European cities including Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Tallinn and Ljubljana. This noteworthy educational initiative will be free to visit, and commentary will be available in the 24 official languages of the European Union. The different spaces at 28 Madeleine will house an interactive section comprising multimedia points on the ground floor and basement level 1, with a 360° cinema, and the mezzanine level will be devoted to young visitors aged 14 years and over, offering role-playing games, subject to reservation.
