JR begins building giant inflatable cave over Paris’s Pont Neuf

French artist JR is in the process of erecting what he calls the "largest immersive installation ever created" over the Pont Neuf, Paris's oldest bridge. The work, titled "La Caverne du Pont Neuf," will envelop the 17th-century crossing in a cave-like pneumatic structure and open to the public free of charge on June 6, running through June 28.designboom+2

A Tribute Four Decades in the Making

The installation marks the 40th anniversary of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Pont Neuf Wrapped," the 1985 project that swathed the bridge in golden fabric. JR developed "La Caverne" in collaboration with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, reimagining the bridge not by wrapping it but by constructing around it a double-walled pneumatic structure whose printed exterior simulates a rocky cliff in trompe-l'œil.christojeanneclaude+2

The numbers are staggering: the structure stretches 120 meters long and rises up to 18 meters high, using approximately 18,900 square meters of fabric and 20,000 cubic meters of air, kept in shape by continuous ventilation. Up to 800 people have been involved in production, engineering, and mediation.domusweb+1

Inside the Cave

Visitors will be able to walk or cycle through a tunnel-like interior devoid of natural light — a sensory journey JR describes as "a symbolic passage, a journey within oneself." A sound environment created in collaboration with Thomas Bangalter, formerly of Daft Punk, will accompany the experience. Augmented reality technology will allow visitors to use smartphones to observe elements "invisible to the naked eye," according to JR.domusweb+1

The installation, accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can also be viewed from the Seine riverbanks, nearby bridges, and riverboat routes. During its run, the bridge will be closed to traffic.apnews+2

A City-Scale Canvas

According to the City of Paris, "La Caverne du Pont Neuf" represents the most spectacular challenge of JR's career. The project coincides with Paris's Fashion Week and the Fête de la Musique in late June. Construction is already underway, with Reuters documenting the early stages of installation on the bridge in mid-May.reutersconnect+1