Arab World Institute

The Arab World Institute stands on the Left Bank as a deliberate architectural dialogue between East and West. Born from a diplomatic effort in the early nineteen-eighties, the building was conceived to bridge a perceived gap in cultural understanding between France and the Arab world. Its design was the result of an international competition won by the architect Jean Nouvel, who sought to marry cutting-edge Parisian modernity with the ancient aesthetic traditions of the Middle East. You will notice the building is divided into two distinct halves that reflect the unique geography of its site between the Seine River and the dense academic blocks of the nearby university.