Terminal 2E at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport stands as a defining project in the career of French architect Paul Andreu, who oversaw its construction and subsequent investigation after a fatal structural collapse in 2004. Beyond his long tenure at Groupe ADP, he established an expansive global footprint through major infrastructure and cultural commissions.
Foundational Education
Born in 1938 at Caudéran, Andreu pursued an rigorous academic path. He attended Lycée Louis-le-Grand before entering the École polytechnique between 1958 and 1961. He continued his technical formation at the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. Later, he extended his training into the artistic realm at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, where he studied under Paul Lamarche, completing his studies in 1968.
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Andreu spent the majority of his professional life at Groupe ADP from 1967 until 2003. During this period, he became a specialist in aviation hubs. His portfolio included Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Orly Airport, and multiple international sites including Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Dubai International Airport, Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, Cairo International Airport, and Brunei International Airport.
Architectural Landmarks and China
Outside of aviation, his work encompassed monumental cultural and athletic venues. He served as an associate for the Grande Arche at La Défense in Paris. In China, he realized the Guangzhou Gymnasium, the Shandong Grand Theater, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, a titanium and glass structure near Tiananmen Square inaugurated in 2007. In 2008, he accepted a commission for a cultural center in Montreal.
Academic and Professional Honors
Andreu transitioned into teaching later in life, serving as chair professor at Zhejiang University starting in 2011. He was a member of the Académie des beaux-arts, the French Academy of Technologies, and the Association Aéronautique et Astronautique de France. His career was marked by numerous distinctions, including the Grand prix national de l'architecture in 1977, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1995, and the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit in 2015.
Fast facts
- Born: 1938, Caudéran, France
- Died: 2018, 15th arrondissement of Paris
- Primary Employer: Groupe ADP (1967-2003)
- Grand prix national de l'architecture recipient: 1977
- Officer of the Legion of Honour: 1994
- Academic affiliation: Zhejiang University
- Notable work: National Centre for the Performing Arts
- Member of: Académie des beaux-arts
Questions readers ask
What caused the collapse at Terminal 2E?
An administrative inquiry attributed the 2004 collapse to technical factors and insufficient design safety margins, though Andreu maintained that the construction companies were responsible for poor execution.
What roles did Andreu hold beyond architecture?
He was trained as an engineer and civil engineer, and also practiced as a painter, novelist, and writer.
Achievements
- Officer of the Legion of Honour — 1994
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit — 2015
- Notable work: Guangzhou Gymnasium
- Notable work: Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Notable work: National Centre for the Performing Arts
- Notable work: Shandong Grand Theater
- Affiliated with Zhejiang University and Groupe ADP
- Educated at École polytechnique, Lycée Louis-le-Grand and École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées
- Worked as architect, civil engineer and engineer
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