High Tech Architecture Centre Pompidou

Centre Pompidou is one of the most spectacular buildings of Paris. It was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano , the British architect couple Richard Rogers and Su Rogers, Gianfranco Franchini , the British structural engineer Edmund Happold and Irish structural engineer Peter Rice. The project was awarded to this team in an architectural design competition, whose results were announced in 1971.

Museums of the past had been elite monuments. In contrast, the Pompidou was designed as a busy center for social activities and cultural exchange Originally designed to accommodate about 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.It has been a great success with its easily accessible public library, its art exhibitions and the superb French National Museum of Modern Art. The Public Information Library  boasts a collection of 450,000 books, 2,600 magazines and a large number of new media items. The Museum has large collections of paintings spanning the 20th century and including works by the most famous artists like Picasso, Braque, Max Ernst, Magritte, Chagall, Matisse, Delaunay, Kandinsky and Klee.

The construction work started in April 1972 and the building was opened to public in 1977. The building cost  is 993 million 1972 Francs.The building was designed in two parts.The first part includes a 3-level infrastructure housing the technical facilities and service areas. The second part has a vast 7-level glass and steel superstructure, including a terrace and mezzanine floor. Colour coded functional structure of the buildings add to its beauty. Green pipes are for fluids , blue ducts are for climate control , electrical wires are encased in yellow and red for movement and flow (elevators) and safety (fire extinguishers).Materials used include earthworks (300 000 m³) , reinforced concrete (50 000 m³) ,metal framework (15 000 tones of steel) , facades, glass surfaces(11 000 m²) and opaque surfaces( 7 000 m).The main idea was  to maximize functional movement and flow and bring art and culture to the man in the street. The rising escalators along the exterior have some of the best views in Paris. Renovation of building continued from October 1996 to January 2000 on a budget of 576 million 1999 Francs.  The renovation added 450 sq. m (4,844 sq. ft.) of exhibit space and a rooftop restaurant, a cafe, and a boutique; in addition, a series of auditoriums were created for film screenings and dance, theater, and musical performances. Access for visitors with disabilities has also been improved.
 

BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS
•Land area: 2 hectares (approx. 5 acres)
•Floor area: 103 305 m²
•Superstructure: 7 levels
•Height: 42 m (Rue Beaubourg side), 45.5 m (Piazza side),
•Length: 166 m,width: 60 m
•Infrastructure: 3 storeys
•Depth: 18 m, length: 180 m, width: 110 m.