What GD and CP REALLY did in Paris...

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yeah, Gehry's getting a little trendy, so his designs are probably not the place to go to break new ground anymore. But that's usually the end point of any successful groundbreaker. I just brought him up as an example of how once can break the mold without being ugly.

Googling other work by Piano and Rogers, I like the other stuff they've done a lot more than the Pompidou. I respect the concept, but dislike the asthetics. But I've also always disliked interior spaces with exposed duct work. I tend to prefer things that manage to be equally conceptual/utilitarian and asthetic. I see a difference between redefining asthetics vs. completely rejecting it.

And for the record, at least according to google and other sites, Franchini (designer of the contentious Louvre pyramid, which I happen to have an affinity for) did not work on the Pompidou.