French President, Nicolas Sarkozy opened the new outpost of the France’s biggest art space, Pompidou. It also marks the world-famous center’s first foray beyond Paris.
The center is designed by Japanese firm Shigeru Ban Architects in association with British architect Philip Gumuchdjian and French firm Jean de Gastines Architects.
The new building at Metz, near the German border, is set within a new park and is described as a ‘giant trellised pavilion’. The structure features a large public esplanade designed as an open foyer and an overhanging roof. The 10,700 square meter facility is designed as a tent-like structure of wooden lattices covered by a vast protective membrane and can hold live performances, multimedia shows and outsized installations. The woven timber roof is a distinct feature of the building.
The design bears no physical resemblance to its big brother in Paris, the Centre Georges Pompidou or the Pompidou Centre.
