The inside-out building that scandalized Paris — and changed architecture forever
National cultural center of contemporary art in Paris, France.
Featured in Renzo Piano's definitive monograph, Renzo Piano: Complete Works 1966–Today.
Visitor Guide
The free exterior escalators are the best ride in Paris — take them even if you skip the galleries. The rooftop terrace has panoramic views.
From the Stravinsky Fountain plaza for the full colorful exoskeleton. The external escalator tubes frame perfect shots of Paris as you ascend.
Open Wed–Mon. Rooftop terrace is free with museum ticket. The Brancusi Atelier next door is free. The plaza in front is always animated.
The color coding is functional: blue = air, green = water, yellow = electricity, red = circulation/people. Piano and Rogers were both 33 when they won the competition — beating 681 entries. Initially, the entire structure was to be painted white.
2-3 hours
Design & Structure
Piano + Rogers designed the building as a flexible machine — all structure and services pushed to the exterior to create 7,500 m² of uninterrupted floor space on each level. The cross-bracing uses gerberettes (cast-steel rocker beams) to transfer loads — a structural innovation.
Exposed steel structure (painted per the color code), glass curtain walls, cast-steel gerberettes. The facade acts as a diagram of the building's own systems — it's simultaneously structure, services, and exhibition.
The 48m clear-span floors are supported by massive gerberettes — cast-steel cantilevers that project 8m beyond the columns. Ove Arup's engineering was as radical as the architecture.
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California Academy of Sciences
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Musical Instruments Museum
Harvard Art Museums
High Museum of Art
Morgan Library & Museum
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Centre Pompidou?+
Centre Pompidou was designed by Renzo Piano and completed in 1977. It is located in Quartier Saint-Merri, France.
Where is Centre Pompidou located?+
Centre Pompidou is located in Quartier Saint-Merri, France. Its coordinates are 48.8606°, 2.3522°.
When was Centre Pompidou built?+
Centre Pompidou was completed in 1977. It was designed by Renzo Piano.
Can I visit Centre Pompidou?+
Centre Pompidou is a real building in Quartier Saint-Merri that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.