New photos offer a closer look around Jean Nouvel's Philharmonie de Paris
These new images by photographer Danica O Kus provide a tour around the exterior of Philharmonie de Paris, the concert hall designed and disowned by French architect Jean Nouvel (+ slideshow).
The £280 million building, located in the city's Parc de La Villette, features a multi-tonal facade of interlocking bird-shaped tiles that extend across both wall and ground surfaces.
![Philharmonie De Paris by Jean Nouvel photographed by Danica O Kus](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/12/Philharmonie-De-Paris_Jean-Nouvel_Danica-O-Kus_cultural_music_France_dezeen_936_18.jpg)
A grand staircase and a similarly monumental ramp offer different routes towards the building, but also lead up towards a elevated rooftop plateau with picnicking space for up to 700 people.
Inside, the plan centres around a 2,400-seat auditorium. Unlike the angular exterior, this space is framed by curving forms that include cascading balconies that wrap around the stage.
![Philharmonie De Paris by Jean Nouvel photographed by Danica O Kus](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/12/Philharmonie-De-Paris_Jean-Nouvel_Danica-O-Kus_cultural_music_France_dezeen_936_16.jpg)
Jean Nouvel won a competition to design the building back in 2007, but the architect controversially boycotted its opening earlier this year on the grounds that the structure wasn't anywhere near complete.
![Philharmonie De Paris by Jean Nouvel photographed by Danica O Kus](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/12/Philharmonie-De-Paris_Jean-Nouvel_Danica-O-Kus_cultural_music_France_dezeen_936_11.jpg)
The project had narrowly escaped being axed just two years previously – when the French culture ministry announced it was shelving several arts projects – despite being two years late and an estimated €187 million (£135 million) over budget.
Nouvel applied for a court order to officially disassociate himself from the project, but was unsuccessful.
![Philharmonie De Paris by Jean Nouvel photographed by Danica O Kus](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/12/Philharmonie-De-Paris_Jean-Nouvel_Danica-O-Kus_cultural_music_France_dezeen_936_8.jpg)
The building is located on the east side of Parc de La Villette, which was designed by Deconstructivist architect Bernard Tschumi in the 1990s and features a series of bright red architectural forms. The Christian de Portzamparc-designed Cité de la Musique stands next door.
Photographer Danica O Kus is from Slovenia.