Architect Jean Nouvel is suing the Philharmonic over a fine

Paris - The famous French architect Jean Nouvel has decided to sue the Paris Philharmonic, whose new headquarters based on his design was opened to great fanfare in 2015. His lawyers informed about this on Monday. Nouvel is facing a demand from the management of the Philharmonic to pay a penalty of 170 million euros (4.3 billion CZK) for delays in construction and budget overruns. The building, which had an original budget of 173 million euros, ultimately cost 386 million.

Nouvel's lawyers, William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, claim that the Philharmonic's demand is "completely inadequate" and "potentially devastating." They also point out that it is unusual for the operators of the building to seek financial compensation only from the author of the design and not from other parties responsible for the construction, including construction companies.

The Philharmonic sent a payment order to Jean Nouvel's studio for 170 million euros in 2017. Specifically, it outlines the author's responsibility for damages and additional costs, including a penalty of 110 million euros for delays in construction. The battle over the payment penalty is taking place in an administrative court, but Nouvel's complaint is set to be discussed in a financial prosecutor's office.

The concert hall at the Parc de la Villette was originally supposed to be completed by 2012, but its completion was postponed several times. The aluminum-clad building, adorned with inset silhouettes of birds, houses a main concert hall with a capacity of 2,400 spectators, 15 rehearsal rooms, an education center, and a restaurant with a café across six floors. It finally opened in January 2015, shortly after the terrorist attack at the offices of the weekly Charlie Hebdo. Nouvel did not attend the opening due to disputes over the construction's execution, which he originally described as the most prestigious project of his career.