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CENTRE
POMPIDOU
The
National Centre of Art and Culture the Georges Pompidou which was
opened in 1977 is
also known as "Centre
Pompidou". Although the construction started during
the presidency of George Pompidou, it was his successor Giscard D´Estaing who had the
pleasure to inaugurate the Center.
The Centre serves as an enormous museum
of contemporary art. Multitude of exhibitions of all type
and theatre spectacles take place there, it is also equipped with
an enormous public library with the capacity for more than 2000
people.
Amazingly
it’s not the great amount of contemporary art and expositions
neither other activities that can be found here, are not much of
an attraction than building itself. A modern structure
designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers,
remarkable for its semi-industrialist
appearance and the fact that its functional elements, like
stairs, water and air pipes, etc... are located in the outside of
the building, leaving a huge interior space, taking advantage of
each square meter. This is what gives a building its
characteristic appearance, with a main façade with mechanical
stairs that crosses the facade from one side to another, and the
semi-transparent tubes of various use, painted in live colours.
This aspect was indeed very controversial and so innovating for
the 70’s. It caused a strong criticism that its presence will
perturb classic and romantic look of the Parisian streets and
buildings. However nowadays it’s one of the buildings the most
loved by the Parisians, and one of the most visited by the
tourists.
The
main façade with mechanical stairs that crosses the facade from
one side to another
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