/the blend

I have spoken about the architecture in Paris in my previous two posts at length. And going by this one, I believe it warrants the mentions. Be it the Gothic cathedral built on the ruins of two earlier churches, which were themselves predated by a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter; and it was sadly recovering from an almost ruining incident itself. Or be it the Arc de Triomphe that sits in a circular plaza from which 12 grand avenues radiate, forming a star (étoile), which is why it is also called Arch of Triumph of the Star.

Or the structural impressionist high-architecture Centre Pompidou. It is one of the most radical buildings of our time. It is in some ways, the opposite of the overarching architecture in Paris, both figuratively and literally. The building exposes all of the infrastructure. The skeleton itself engulfs the building from its exterior, showing all of the different mechanical and structural systems not only so that they can be understood but also to maximize the interior space without interruptions. The structure and largest ventilation components were painted white, the stairs and elevator structures were painted a silver gray, the ventilation was painted blue, the plumbing and fire control piping were painted green, the electrical elements were yellow and orange, and the elevator motor rooms and shafts, or the elements that allow for movement throughout the building, are painted red. One of the “movement” elements that the center is most known for is the escalator (painted red on the bottom) on the west facade, a tube that zigzags up to the top of the building providing visitors with an astonishing view of the city of Paris. It’s so interesting that I had to wait for 20 minutes to get the shot that is somewhere close to its magnificence. You’ll know which one. 🙂

So, yeah, it was a nice blend to see different architectural styles from ages in a single city. And unlike any other, Paris cradles them all.