In 1969 French President Georges Pompidou launched
the idea of creating a new cultural institution in Paris dedicated to
modern art.
Functional Design
Centre Pompidou
In 1971 a competition for this new cultural center
attracted 650 entries. The winning project, submitted by the architects
Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano and Gianfranco Franchini broke with
architectural conventions by moving functional elements such as
escalators, water pipes and air conditioning to the outside of the
building, freeing interior space for the display of art works. The pipes
and ducts are all color-coded: blue for air, green for water, red for
elevators, yellow for electricity, gray for corridors and white for the
building itself.
Opposition
The construction of the glass and metal
building in the centrally located Beaubourg neighborhood
ran into a lot of opposition from people who disliked
the idea of an 'oil refinery' in a historic district.
But when the museum opened in December 1977, it became
an instant success: originally designed to accommodate
some
5,000
visitors per day, the Centre Pompidou has been welcoming
over 25,000 visitors per day making it one of the most
visited attractions in Paris.
Pipes of the Centre Pompidou
More Than a Museum
The Centre Pompidou is home to one
of the world's most important museums of modern art,
the MNAM, but it also contains a very popular library,
a bookshop, a movie theater and a panoramic terrace.
The Public Information Library or BPI boasts a collection
of 450,000 books, 2,600 magazines and a large number
of new media items.
The library occupies the first three floors of the building, while the museum's permanent collection is located on floors 4 and 5. The first and top floor are used for large expositions. The museum has one of the most important collections of modern art. Its more than 59,000 works cover a broad spectrum of 20th century arts.
The 4th floor contains works from 1905 to 1965 and covers art movements such as fauvism, abstract art, surrealism and cubist art. Some of the featured artists include Matisse, Kadinsky, Miró and Picasso.
The library occupies the first three floors of the building, while the museum's permanent collection is located on floors 4 and 5. The first and top floor are used for large expositions. The museum has one of the most important collections of modern art. Its more than 59,000 works cover a broad spectrum of 20th century arts.
The 4th floor contains works from 1905 to 1965 and covers art movements such as fauvism, abstract art, surrealism and cubist art. Some of the featured artists include Matisse, Kadinsky, Miró and Picasso.
Stravinsky Fountain
Place Beaubourg
The square in front of the Centre Pompidou,
the 'Place Georges Pompidou' or 'Place Beaubourg', is
very popular. The large crowds are animated by mimes,
street portraitists and entertainers.
If you want to see some modern art without going into the museum, just go to the right of the square, to the place Igor Stravinsky where you'll find the most famous modern fountain in Paris. The fountain has several kinetic sculptures, designed by Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely.
If you want to see some modern art without going into the museum, just go to the right of the square, to the place Igor Stravinsky where you'll find the most famous modern fountain in Paris. The fountain has several kinetic sculptures, designed by Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely.
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