The Philharmonie de Paris and its architect Jean Nouvel like to provide surprises. The vast raw concrete entrance hall, whose ceiling is decorated with hundreds of metal strips that resemble an upside-down fakir carpet, diffuses a sparing amount of light. A wall of icy mirrors multiplies the slats ad infinitum. From the hall, a narrow corridor leads to the large auditorium, the Salle Pierre Boulez. In his constructions, Jean Nouvel always blows hot and cold. He worked with Brigitte Métra to design this futuristic concert hall, where light and space explode.