Competition entry for the Beaubourg Centre

• Date 1972 (unrealised project)
• Address Plateau de Beaubourg, Paris (France)

In December 1970, the French government, on the initiative of Georges Pompidou, launched an international architectural competition with a view to building a cultural centre dedicated to contemporary culture and creativity. This prestigious project, in the very heart of Paris, sparked enthusiasm amongst numerous architectural practices from all corners of the world, and more than 650 designs were submitted to the jury. Charles Vandenhove, a passionate advocate of art and culture, also sought to put forward his vision for the project and, in the project’s presentation document, called for an open and free-form structure: ‘Based on the proposed programme, the Centre is, rather than a building or a group of buildings, rather than a defined space, a “structuring” of the current void on the Beaubourg plateau. This structure must respect, continue and, at the same time, expand and intensify the urban potential of the neighbourhood, envisaged as an integral part of Paris.’ The flexibility offered by the architect’s proposed structure is total: ‘Ultimately, the proposed structure could, if necessary, easily be adapted to become a shopping centre, housing, or both. ’ Within this structure, which can be enclosed by façades… or not, the architect incorporates the full range of activities defined by the programme: a permanent gallery, a contemporary art gallery showcasing current exhibitions, an experimental contemporary art gallery, museums, a library, a canteen, a restaurant…

To underpin his project, Vandenhove draws on several previous projects and adopts the same construction system – based on prefabrication – which he developed at the University Hospital, the Peltzer Clinic (Verviers) and the Institute of Biology in Louvain-la-Neuve.

• Auteur et date de la notice Sébastien Charlier, 2021