Overnight, the 53-year-old Dane finds himself in Paris, leading this colossal construction project. Although the architect intends to bring his design for the Grande Arche to life, it soon becomes clear that his vision clashes with harsh realities and political whims.

La Grande Arche tells the fascinating true story behind one of the most ambitious architectural projects of the 20th century—the Grands Projets, a series of modern monuments commissioned by French President François Mitterrand to reshape Paris. Among the most striking was the Grande Arche in La Défense. In 1982, an international design competition was launched, open to all. From 424 submissions, the relatively unknown Danish architect Johan Otto von Spreckelsen emerged as the surprising winner. His visionary design was met with enthusiasm, but tragically, he would never live to see the completion of his masterpiece.