jsmith

Richard Rogers, co-architect with Renzo Piano, of the Pompidou Center has won the 2007 Pritzker Prize for Architecture. Other buildings by Rogers include Lloyd's in London, Terminal 4 of the Madrid Airport, National Assembly for Wales and one of the buildings to replace the Twin Towers.

A legacy for us all to enjoy. His website is: www.rrp.co.uk

Lawchick

I always thiink the pompidou centre looks like a wormery.

Ackislander

As of last month, the Centre Pompidou is looking tediously old-fashioned, tired, dirty (partly a result of the materials chosen, partly because of design) and distinctly unfriendly to users. Compare the building and setting with, say, the Luxembourg Palace and jardin or the Palais Royal.

On the other hand, our great-grandchildren may look fondly on the Pompidou the way we look fondly on the Hotel de Ville -- as an amusing example of an antiquated historical taste!

Margo_Chester

>>Compare the building and setting with, say, the Luxembourg Palace and jardin or the Palais Royal.<<

You can't - they are totally different, built in different time periods, different styles, for different purposes. The Pompidou was not intended to be a modern version of an historical building, it was designed to be a modern building. Pretty? No. Appropriately designed structure to house a collection of modern art? Yes.

Ackislander

It is still looking tediously old-fashioned, tired, dirty and distinctly unfriendly to users.

I am not opposed to modern architecture by any means. I think Renzo Piano has gone on to do many, many brilliant buildings. I just don't believe that Rogers has. But his wife is a good chef.

jsmith

Do you naysayers have comments on any of the 42 masterplans and 75 buildings which comprise his catalog and the reason for the Prize?

Did you look at the Pritzker Prize site?

What is user unfriendly about the Pompidou?

Just asking.

Ackislander

User unfriendly: sunbaked plaza with no place to sit is a poor use of public space in a crowded neighborhood; fountain, while amusing, does not relate to museum building at all; access from streets forbidding, entrances from plaza not easy to read; glass walkways threatening to phobics; etc.

My criticism of materials is applicable to others as well. I haven't seen the Piano additions to the High Museum in Atlanta, but Richard Meier's original building looked like a heap of old refrigerators and washing machines after a few years of weathering. I saw it when it was ten years old, and it was ugly, ugly, ugly, even though his buildings look great when new.

There is something about Paris. I am generally a fan of Gae Aulenti, but I find the layout of the Orsay very difficult, and it isn't just the way the collection is hung. It is getting from level to level, a problem it shares with the new Musee des arts decoratif at the Louvre.

There is much interesting modern architecture in Paris. Musee Branly is fantastic but one wonders how it will wear over time. Parc Andre Citroen is an incredible planning achievement, if not actually architecture.

I will give Rogers credit for a the new Terminal 4 at Madrid. It is stunning and may work well, and it may not be fair to criticize him for the Millenium Dome since I don't know what the program was.

steviegene

I like the Pompidou Center -- and think it is an interesting concept, and a good home for the type of art it holds......for whatever thats worth.

beaupeep

My husband is an architect. I wish they would give him the prize.

Sue_xx_yy

I cannot speak for Mr. Rogers' other buildings, having never seen them. But spouse, an engineer, took one look at the Pompidou Centre and pointed out that having all of the mechanicals on the outside was energy-inefficient, to say nothing of insecure. As for the plexiglass-enclosed exterior escalator it gave a lovely view, true, but all that plexiglass ensured we baked in there on a sunny day in April. (On a practical point, extreme temperature changes are hard on materials and joints.)

If memory serves, architects won awards for CDG terminal 1 complex as well. Yes, it is an interesting-looking building. Pity about the functionality part....

Carlux

I saw an interview with Rogers once, who said that when he and Renzo Piano entered the competition for the Pompidou center they were young and just starting out. They actually produced a design that matched the competition requirements, which very few did - one of the reasons they won.

They did the drawings, took them to the post office, where they were told the paper was too long. So sat on the floor and cut the paper down to regulation British post office size, had it weighted and got it postmarked and sent off just before the deadline. A week later the package was returned with insufficient postage. Back to the post office to point out that it was THEIR mistake - no problem said the PO., we'll just put it back in the post. No way, says Rogers - not without postmarking it for the day it was originally sent! So after much arguing, proper postage was applied, it was postmarked for the day before the competition ended, and they won.

He did mention that the finished building was not exactly as designed, as the builders insisted on cost-cutting measures, which made it look tired and dirty very early on. It has since had a re-vamp, but still suffers, in comparison to classic buildings, or even to some better built modern buildings.

TuckH

Thanks Carlux for the relaying this anecdote. As an architect myself, I've had my share of similar experiences.

Ackislander

Great story, Carlux!