Centre G. Pompidou

Since its opening in 1977, the Centre Georges Pompidou always aimed at being a major “information machine”; however, the desire to guarantee total flexibility with temporary setups to house highly diversified cultural activities in reality proved to be an illusion. Eight years after its opening, the fourth floor was made to house a new exhibition area, completely redesigned by Gae Aulenti. In fact, the variations in form and dimensions of the exhibition space reflect the variety of the displayed works. A longitudinal gallery, running parallel to the western façade along the whole length of the building, became the backbone of the museum space. The exhibition units - composed of galleries and rooms of varying sizes - are arranged along this primary axis of circulation. Galleries with niches, display cases and plinths for sculptures, drawings and paintings, became side routes, axial to the main girders which outline the depth of the floor and make the structural modulation intelligible.