91 applications were received to design the new stadium for the French Open and the field was narrowed down to entries from four highly renowned contemporary architects:
- Paul Andreu, who designed the Osaka maritime museum in Japan, the Chinese National Grand Theatre in Beijing and the Canton Multisport Complex, again in China;
- Marc Mimram, who was behind the Beng Bu Bridge at Tianjin (China) and the Léopold Sédar Senghor walk-way (at the former Solférino site) in Paris;
- Renzo Piano, who designed the Georges Pompidou National Art and Culture Centre in Paris, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and Osaka airport in Japan, and
- Christian de Portzamparc, who was responsible for the LVMH tower in New York, the Lille tower in the Euralille business area (France), the "Philharmonie" concert hall in Luxembourg, the re-design of the Paris congress centre and the headquarters of Le Monde newspaper, also in the French capital.
The French Tennis Federation recently announced that it had unanimously chosen an architect, Marc Mimram, for a new retractable roof that will be ready for any rain delays as of 2011. The new roof at Roland Garros will cover the central court and those planned at
an extension of the competitive courts not far away from the main stadium. The Roland Garros stadium will have a new look in a few years with a brand new complex featuring three courts designed on the Georges Hébert site between the Porte d'Auteuil and Porte Molitor. The main court seating 14, 600 tennis fans will have a sliding roof that can close in five minutes. There will also be side panels to the west that will be fitted to close off the court within two minutes. The stands will be asymmetrical, with the one facing south and facing the court lengthways (which will have the most sunlight) being higher than the three others. The stadium was designed with the environment in mind and the roof will be fitted with photovoltaic cells. The angle of the stands will enable sunlight to shine directly onto the court from 9 o'clock in the morning until 7 in the evening. There will also be two additional outside courts positioned alongside the centre court (with 1,500 and 750 seats respectively). They will be primarily used for practice and have a garden overlooking them which will be open to the public all year round while serving as a place for fans to meet during the tournament. The complex will also house offices, a state-of-the-art players' lounge, a press center and reception areas spread across various levels. The entrances to the new stadium and the original “historic” stadium (which will be 450 meters away) will be redesigned as well with widened footpaths, additional trees planted, as well as the possibility of a tram being built along Boulevard Murat. The French Tennis Federation must still discuss the renewal of the
Roland Garros stadium rights, as well as those for the Georges Hébert site with the Paris City Hall before the building permits can be issued and construction can begin.
