The Great Arch

Overview

In 1983, a groundbreaking architectural competition, both anonymous and open to all, is initiated by France's new socialist president, François Mitterrand. Attracting the attention of prestigious international firms, the contest unexpectedly results in a victory for an obscure contender: Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, a Copenhagen-based architecture teacher. At fifty, the Danish architect has only completed four projects to his name: his own house and three modest chapels.