[numair]

To all of the armchair experts on HN who want to criticize this project and its maintenance costs: you better make sure you understand the (very French) politics that made this an utter pain for everyone involved, along with the constraints of the time at which this was designed and built.

The engineering work done by Arup to make this project work was utterly amazing. I suggest this as a small bit of weekend reading that might kick off further exploration:

https://www.arup.com/perspectives/would-the-pompidou-get-bui...

[eternalban]

What is intriguing is that while French politics drove the project, it is entirely a British building plopped in the middle of Paris.

It's a pity Jean Nouvel wasn't around then - his work* is great imo.

This is a modern French building:

http://www.jeannouvel.com/en/projects/institut-du-monde-arab...

* http://www.jeannouvel.com/en/projets/

A must see if you go to Switzerland - an amazing structure that defies photographic capture - has to be experienced: http://www.jeannouvel.com/projets/centre-de-culture-et-des-c...

[nerdbert]

> it is entirely a British building plopped in the middle of Paris

They got their own in the form of Lloyd's a few years later.