Unbuilt Visions for the Centre Pompidou Presented at "Concours Beaubourg 1971" Exhibition in Paris

"On January 30, an exhibition entitled "Concours Beaubourg 1971: Une mutation de l'architecture" opened in Paris, showcasing archival material from the competition that resulted in the selection of the current Centre Pompidou, designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers between 1969 and 1974. In view of the building's recent closure for renovation, approximately 100 archival documents, including some never before exhibited from the Centre Pompidou's collections (plans, drawings, photographs, models, etc.), are on display at the Académie d'Architecture at Place des Vosges until February 22, 2026."

"Co-produced by the Académie d'Architecture and the Centre Pompidou, with support from the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Saint-Étienne, the exhibition presents alternative, imaginative, and sometimes unbuildable proposals for the building."

"The final project was selected from among 681 entries, submissions that crystallized the principal schools shaping architecture at the time, including preservers of the Beaux-Arts tradition, defenders of Expressionism, emissaries of Modernism, proponents of post-war megastructures, and young representatives of avant-garde movements."

An exhibition titled "Concours Beaubourg 1971: Une mutation de l'architecture" opened in Paris on January 30, presenting archival material from the international competition that produced the Centre Pompidou. The display features approximately 100 documents—plans, drawings, photographs, and models—some never before exhibited from the Centre Pompidou collections. The show runs at the Académie d'Architecture at Place des Vosges until February 22, 2026. The presentation is co-produced by the Académie d'Architecture and the Centre Pompidou with support from the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Saint-Étienne. The selection highlights alternative, imaginative, and unbuildable proposals and traces the competition's enduring effect on architectural practice and the profession.

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