French luxury-goods billionaire François Pinault has accelerated plans for a private art museum in Paris to bring a bright new spot to the city after a string of terror-attacks. The Paris City Council approved final plans last month for the museum to open in a renovated 18th-century stock exchange building in 2018.

“In the face of this barbarism, the only possible reaction is to move forward,” Pinault told the New York Times. “As André Malraux said, ‘Art is the shortest path from man to man.’ That is what prompted me to accelerate the completion of my project in Paris,” he added.

Interiors of the Bourse de Commerce in the Les Halles district will be redesigned by Japanese architect Tado Ando.

Pinault inked a 50-year lease with the City of Paris. He will provide €50 million ($55 million) for renovation, and will cover future running costs of the museum which will showcase his 3,000-work collection.

As owner of Christie's and head of luxury conglomerate Kering, Pinault's has focused on collecting both early career artists and modern to contemporary masters, ranging from Cy Twombly and Agnes Martin to Jeff Koons and Gerhard Richter.