Paris: Beaux-Arts to High-Tech
A walk through the layers of Paris, moving from the radical machines of the 1970s to the precise contemporary interventions that redefine the historic fabric.
Curated Spots
6 LocationsCentre Pompidou
The Machine. A radical "inside-out" building that exposed its guts (pipes, ducts, escalators) to the world, creating a massive public piazza.
Open location in Google MapsIRCAM
The Underground. Located next to Pompidou, this institute for music / acoustics explores the idea of invisible architecture, buried beneath the square.
Open location in Google MapsInstitut du Monde Arabe
The Lens. A masterpiece of kinetic architecture. Since updated, the facade’s mechanical diaphragms responded to sunlight like a camera aperture.
Open location in Google MapsLouvre Pyramid
The Intervention. A modernist glass incision into a Renaissance courtyard. It solved circulation issues while becoming a symbol of the city itself.
Open location in Google MapsBourse de Commerce
The Circle. The latest layer in Paris. Ando inserted a perfect concrete cylinder into the historic dome, creating a meditative void for art.
Open location in Google MapsSainte-Chapelle
The Finale. A gothic jewel box of light. The walls almost disappear, replaced by 15-meter tall stained glass. The ultimate structural achievement of its time.
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Rooftop Views
The top floor of Centre Pompidou offers one of the best panoramic views of Paris, framing the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre.
Silent Hours
Visit Sainte-Chapelle early morning or late afternoon when the sun strikes the glass directly for the full 'jewel box' effect.
