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.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

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.

Hmmm, could be - I pulled it from a Pompidou Site that claimed:

BACKGROUND: THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

1970: an international architectural competition was launched. It was based on a programme aimed at achieving the objectives set by President Georges Pompidou and drawn up by the Sébastien Loste team. Chaired by the internationally renowned architect Jean Prouvé, the prize-winners selected by the jury were Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini, assisted by Ove Arup & Partners. The Centre Pompidou construction office, called Etablissement public constructeur du Centre Beaubourg, was set up at the end of 1971, through a decree by the Ministry for the Arts and Culture. Robert Bordaz was appointed as its chairman

But, I have no direct knowledge of who was in the architectural team and how their roles played out in its construction