The Chateau de Chambord as you’ve (probably) never seen it

By Constance Dive , Published: 26 March 2019, 18:29

What would Chambord look like if it had been built today? This is the question that 18 universities from all over the world have been working on, to present their contemporary vision of the architectural utopia of the chateau. Embark on a journey through time blending past, present and sometimes even future.

A great many mysteries remain around how Chambord was built. Who was the real architect? What was François I’s vision? Still under construction upon the monarch’s death, the chateau was completed by his heirs, leaving a sense that François I’s original plans for utopian architecture remain incomplete.

Chambord ‘reinvented’

It was during a visit to Chambord that architect Dominique Perrault had the idea to launch a call for projects to ‘finish’ the construction of the castle as a contemporary utopia. Universities around the world have worked on their vision of a Chambord ‘reinvented’, taking the architecture of the chateau as their foundation.

18 projects on display

In the end, 18 projects were selected to be exhibited in the prospective section of the exhibition dedicated to Chambord for its 500th anniversary. The other part of the exhibition focuses on the historical dimension of the chateau.

A modern-day utopia

With their ‘Chambord of modern times’, up-and-coming architects provide a new reading of this emblem of the French Renaissance in the light of our contemporary societies and their inspirations, between political, social and environmental utopia.

In 2019, Chambord is celebrating its 500-year anniversary. To mark the occasion, the chateau is hosting the biggest exhibition in its history: "Chambord, 1519-2019: building utopia". From 26 May to 1 September, visitors to the chateau will be invited along on a journey through the ages. The first stop is in the past, with the first part of the exhibition dedicated to the chateau’s history. The second half of the exhibition focuses on the chateau’s contemporary side, showcasing 18 projects from the “Chambord reinvented” competition.

Find out more:
• Chambord Estate (External link)
• “Chambord 1519-2019: building utopia” exhibition (External link)
• Plan your trip to the Loire Valley (External link)