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Paris, France
And after all you're my wonderwall
Inside, outside and in between, Jean Nouvel's Arab Institute is one damn impressive building. Sandwiched in between the glass of its south wall are a series of mechanical sunscreens, filtering the harsh light at varying degrees. These sunscreens open and close to an absolutely dizzying and wonderful effect. It has to be seen to be believed.
A close up of the sunscreens as they repeat toward the infinite.
Inside or above one of the glass enclosed reading rooms shows just what these sunscreens can do.
The building itself has some interesting enough galleries, a rooftop lookout over the Seine and a glass elevator and stair core running right through its heart. The shadows of the sunscreen through the layers of glass of the core is amazing, watching your own reflection versus the light is enough to make you not want to leave.
A close up of the sunscreens from their less glamorous side in all of their mechanical glory. I was lucky enough to watch the walls change a few times- changes are swift and come with an expected little swooshing sound of so much metal on metal.
Redefining Beauborg for almost thirty years, Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano's groundbreaking Pompidou Center still feels brand new.
Inside the building are a myriad of fine cultural institutions including great bookstore, an expensive restaurant, and one damn fine museum. The Musée National d'Art Moderne picks up where the Orsay Museum leaves off and presents a collection that is as good or better than any you will ever see. One of my favorite museums.
This picture is taken from the ascent, half of the fun the building has to offer. Suspended from the building and hanging over Paris and the plaza, museum goers travel like hamsters who are lucky enough to have escalators in their little hamster tubes.
From the plaza, a front elevation of the escalators, tubes and exoskeleton that defines Pompidou the world over. Reflections in its glass to look out for include the center's sloping plaza, the memorable exhaust vents from the underground parking and at least some of the Pompidou's still confused neighbors.
The collection of the museum (on two upper floors) constantly changes. Sure you can expect certain classic pieces at any time but my visit included an especially architect heavy rotation- an Aldo Rossi room, a Santiago Calatrava model and even a lone sunscreen panel from Jean Nouvel's Arab Institute. In this room art students do what they should as they worship humbly in the presence of Mondrian and Brancusi (or just lean over and sketch, it's kind of hard to tell).
The inside of the galleries at the Pompidou Center is not really that great- not horrible but also not distinctive. The downstairs lobby and shop are no better. The fun of the Pompidou Center is in riding its walls, all of the fun experiences come within sight of the glass circulation tubes.
