Thursday, December 18, 2025 From 1:00 PM To 2:00 PM Add to Calendar 2025-12-18 13:00:00 2025-12-18 14:00:00 After the Fire: The Redesign of the Surroundings of Notre-Dame de Paris with Bas Smets Part 3 of our Before and After series looks to the future of Notre-Dame’s surroundings. In 2022, the City of Paris chose Bas Smets and his team to redesign the public spaces around the cathedral. He will present plans for the forecourt, underground areas, the Jean XXIII garden, and the riverbanks—an ambitious project designed to create a cooler microclimate. French Library, 53 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA America/New_York
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Bas Smets received master’s degrees in Architecture and Civil Engineering from the University of Leuven and in Landscape from the University of Geneva. In 2007, he founded Bureau Bas Smets in Brussels, whose designs explore new ways to transform the city into an urban ecology, capable of producing cooling microclimates to counter climate change. In addition to his design work, Bas Smets has taught at various schools of architecture in Europe. In 2023, he was appointed Professor in Practice at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
Upcoming Events
William Tell: The Enduring Legacy of a Hero Myth
A Preview Evening with Boston Lyric Opera
Join former Boston Lyric Opera General & Artistic Director Esther Nelson for a fascinating journey through legend, history, and opera, tracing how the story of Tell has been reimagined across centuries, with live musical excerpts from Rossini’s masterpiece.
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Come join us for the new Theater Club at the French Library, a place to read, watch, discuss and recite contemporary and classic French plays with fellow enthusiasts.
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The French Library is delighted to present this cooking class from our Gastronomy & Wine program. Guided by excellence, this program is designed to educate you in the fine art of cooking and oenology with experts highlighting different regions of France.
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