Centre Pompidou in Metz by Zuzana Zelenakova

Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, which was completed in 1977, certainly is one of the most interesting architectural sights in the French capital. It houses the largest museum of modern art in Europe, as well as public library and music centre. Now French President Nicolas Sarkozy has opened a new offshoot of Centre Pompidou in the northeastern city of Metz. It is the first offshoot of the famous centre of culture and leisure. The building was designed by Jean de Gastines and Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. He is known for his innovative work with paper, mainly because it is low cost and recyclable. He was the first architect in Japan to built a house mostly out of paper,! for the construction of which he needed a special approval to comply with the country´s building code. The creation in Metz bears no resemblance to the building in Paris. "You know in France, we are a little bit centralised, so for this kind of operation, it's a kind of little French revolution, saying such a simple thing, but the national collections are for everyone," said the director of new museum Laurent Le Bon. "And why Metz? Because there was no big museum of modern art, and so the connection with Europe was very important." The construction of the Metz Centre Pompidou cost approximately 86 million euros. Futuristic design merges with fairy tale like little cottage look, which is very attractive to the eye. “Like a circus big tent,” describes Ban the building. “So the city can gather underneath it. It’s a gathering place.” The French government the new cultural centre could help boost the economy in the region. The museum has tru! ly a lot to offer, there are pieces by Pablo Picasso, Joan Mir! o, Jacks on Pollock and others. Also the Louvre Museum should get such an offshoot outside Paris in the near future.

related story (sgx17266): http://www.france24.com/en/20100511-art-culture-france-pompi...

by Zuzana Zelenakova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

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