Reviled by Parisians for its shocking inside-out appearance when it first opened in 1977, the Centre Pompidou has reached its 40th birthday, and as a gift, is set to receive to 2-year, $110 million renovation that will preserve the unique structure for years to come.
Designed by the then-unknown duo of Renzo Piano & Richard Rogers, the building was the surprise winner of a competition for a new museum and cultural center in Paris’ historic Le Marais district, standing out from the crowd via its open-plan galleries and guts-on-the-outside approach.
The renovation project will preserve that unique aesthetic, restoring the landmark facade (including HVAC elements that are no longer functioning) and replacing the building’s famous outdoor escalator, known lovingly as “the caterpillar,” at a cost of $24.5 million. Because many of the museum’s inner workings are located on the outside, the building requires a significant amount of maintenance.
Between 1998 and 2000, the structure was closed for a $108 million dollar overhaul. This time around, the museum intends to remain open during the entire renovation period.
“It will be a sort of construction game, but our aim is to stay open,” said Serge Lasvignes, president of the Pompidou Centre. “That is the objective.”
More information on the project can be found here.
News via The Guardian.
AD Classics: Centre Georges Pompidou / Richard Rogers + Renzo Piano
