Pompidou Centre and its influence on Art, Architecture and society Essay

POMPIDOU CENTRE









By, Jesse McKay
12/19/2008

Throughout history, France has always been considered a center for art, culture and education.   And within its capital of Paris, one can find many examples in which this city has devoted itself to conserve this reputation. With numerous museums and historic figures Paris continues to rise as an influential city for modern and intellectual thought.
The Pompidou Centre, also known as the Centre Georges Pompidou, after former French president George Pompidou or the Beaubourg, for its relative location; is a building complex located in the Beaubourg area of 4th arrondissement.   The 4th arrondissement, known for its culturally alternative setting is home to several art galleries and public spaces and is renowned for its acceptance for new and modern ideas. However, when construction began in 1971 on the soon to be Pompidou Centre, the presence in one of the oldest districts in Paris would soon be the focus of much controversy.
As the ideal style of such buildings as museums, libraries, and concert halls were traditionally approached with the typical classical style the Pompidou would soon put a modern twist in the minds of designers and viewers alike. The New York Times noted that the design of the Centre "turned the architecture world upside down."#   With The dream of former president Georges Pompidou, this center for 20th- and 21st-century art, jarred the old Beaubourg neighborhood of Paris. Designed in the “HighTech” architectural style, the Centre was soon called the   “most avant-garde building in the world.“#  

      Figure 1: This drawing shows the front elevation of the Pompidou Centre.
The design which was chosen in 1971 through an architectural design competition accommodated the best possible solution to the strict criteria set. Under the rules of the competition, the architectural project had to meet the criteria of interdisciplinarity, freedom of movement and flow, and an open...