Competition
time
In 1969, Richard Rogers, a young British architect, was
persuaded to enter a competition to design the Pompidou Centre by his friends
Renzo Piano and Ted Happold.
Heady
heights
Rogers and Piano won the competition, and their radical
design has become an icon of Paris.
Right
on?
As a state monument to the right-wing French president,
Georges Pompidou, the project was at first unappealing to the left-leaning
Rogers and his colleagues.
One
in a million
In its first year, the Pompidou Centre entertained six
million visitors - more than the Eiffel Tower.
Colour
block
The complex is situated in Beaubourg in Paris' 4th arrondissement.
Its colourful exterior stands out against the traditional Haussman-era
buildings.
New
radicals
The design duo developed an avant-garde, 'inside-out'
façade, with escalators, pipes, lifts and air-conditioning on the exterior of
the building.
Critical
condition
When it opened in 1977, critics were not impressed with the
building's flashily modern, hi-tech design. (Photo: Arcaid)
Make-over
Today, the building looks much as it did when it opened,
thanks to a two-year revamp in 2000 - which also enlarged the museum,
performance spaces and restaurant.
Complex
character
The Pompidou Centre is multi-disciplinary complex, housing
performance, library and cinema as well as exhibition spaces
Museum
piece
The building houses the largest museum for modern art in
Europe with over 50,000 works by 5,000 artists in its vaults.
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