The Sail | BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group

Located by the Seine riverfront, Rouen's new congress center, nicknamed The Sail, is envisioned as a public meeting place that connects the city to the water. The center will house two auditoriums, exhibition halls, a restaurant, multipurpose meeting rooms and back-of-house spaces, contributing to the city's cultural and economic development. The Sail is designed to achieve Passivhaus certification for highly energy-efficient buildings.

The timber structure and facades draw on Rouen's tradition of half-timbered houses, while the roofline recalls the sails of its maritime history. From the city side, the PV- covered roof hovers above a new public forecourt that extends the urban fabric to the river. The forecourt combines open plazas paved in local stone with pockets of planting and trees, creating shaded gathering areas and green buffers around the building. Rainwater collected from the roof irrigates the planting, while paths connect the site with its surroundings and guide visitors to the entrances.

Inside, a spacious foyer serves as the building's central square, filled with natural light. A grand staircase connects the foyer to the main auditorium, while overlapping levels create visual connections between the different program areas.