OMA won the competition for a new exhibition center in the French city of Toulouse

The Rotterdam office of Rema Koolhaas won an international competition for a new exhibition area Parc des Expositions (PEX) in southern France's Toulouse. The winning project by OMA presents a compact small city to minimize the disturbance of the serene idyl of the local landscape. The area, covering 330,000 m², upon completion in 2016, will offer ample space for hosting exhibitions, conferences, and large concerts. The authors describe PEX as "a machine that will offer endless possibilities." A strip 320 meters wide and 2.8 kilometers long traverses a diverse environment stretching from the banks of the Garonne River to the manufacturing site of Airbus at the opposite end. The exhibition area aims to create a clear urban image within the chaotically grown agglomeration surrounding Toulouse. OMA has divided the exhibition center into three parallel functional strips: a multifunctional hall, an exhibition hall of 40,000 m², and a parking lot covering 160,000 m². The infrastructure of the entire exhibition center will be exposed and accessible via ramps and glass walls. The exhibition halls will be formed by an adaptive three-dimensional network structure offering exhibitors perfectly flexible space.