The Centre Pompidou transformation project, designed by Moreau Kusunoki in collaboration with Frida Escobedo Studio and AIA Life Designers in Paris, has restructured public access, technical systems, and spatial use to improve environmental performance and reaffirm its multidisciplinary identity, ahead of reopening in 2030. Supported by France’s Ministry of Culture, the five-year renovation addresses asbestos removal, structural reinforcement, and modernization of fire safety and energy infrastructure. It introduces new public facilities, including a panoramic rooftop terrace, a flexible library, and an inclusive cultural hub for children and teenagers. Key architectural zones such as the Agora and Forum will be reorganized to improve openness and interaction, while the underground car park will be converted into cinemas and exhibition spaces. The Bpi will relocate temporarily, and the Constellation program will extend the museum’s programming to partner venues across France and abroad. The design maintains continuity with the original 1977 building by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, adapting its radical concepts to today’s social and ecological needs. The renovation reflects a cultural shift toward analog, civic-centered spaces and positions the Pompidou as a flexible extension of public life.
The closure of the Centre Pompidou in 2025 marks a pivotal moment not only in the evolution of its architectural identity but in how cultural institutions redefine public relevance through spatial rethinking. Moreau Kusunoki’s design introduces a shift from fixed program zones to fluid cultural environments where movement, accessibility, and appropriation are prioritized over formal hierarchy. Rather than treating the renovation as a conservation project, the architects view it as an opportunity to dissolve institutional boundaries within the building, aligning with a more civic-oriented model. This interpretation moves beyond restoration to reposition the Pompidou as an extension of urban life, where interdisciplinary uses are no longer compartmentalized. The design uses porosity and interface as spatial strategies, allowing collections, performance, education, and public exchange to coexist with fewer physical or programmatic separations.
Originally completed in 1977, the Centre Pompidou was designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers as a cultural machine open to the city, with an exposed mechanical façade and non-hierarchical interior zones. Nearly five decades later, the structure faces multiple technical issues, including asbestos in the facades, outdated security systems, energy inefficiency, and corrosion of its main frame. To address these challenges, the building will close fully on September 22, 2025, with construction starting in early 2026 and reopening expected in 2030.
The renovation, developed in collaboration with AIA Life Designers for technical systems and Frida Escobedo Studio for the cultural program, focuses on environmental performance, long-term adaptability, and spatial clarity. Moreau Kusunoki’s approach favors reuse, low-carbon materials, and circular strategies. Facade replacement, structural upgrades, and integration of fire safety, heating, and ventilation systems will reduce the carbon footprint of the 10-story structure. The architectural contract is valued at 192 million USD (186 million EUR, £160 million), funded through sponsorship and internal resources, while the technical scope is publicly financed at 282 million USD (260 million EUR, £224 million).
Internally, the project reconfigures key areas including the Forum, Agora, Piazza, and galleries. A new rooftop terrace will offer views of Paris, while scenographic improvements aim to support more flexible exhibition programming. The underground parking garage, no longer needed in a city moving away from car dependency, will be adapted to host cinemas and galleries. A dedicated “New Generation” hub for audiences aged 0 to 15 reflects the project’s emphasis on access and youth participation.
During the closure, programming will continue through the Constellation initiative, launched in April 2025. The program extends Pompidou’s curatorial and educational activities to partner institutions across France and internationally. Early examples include exhibitions at the Grand Palais, Centre Pompidou-Metz, Le Tripostal in Lille, and venues in Shanghai and Málaga. The Public Information Library (Bpi) will relocate to the Lumière building in Paris’ 12th arrondissement by August 25, 2025, maintaining its public service role. Its cinema activities will continue at mk2 Bibliothèque under the name mk2 x Centre Pompidou, while Studio 13/16 will reopen at Gaîté Lyrique in 2026. Only IRCAM will remain on-site at Place Stravinsky during the renovation.
Despite institutional backing, the decision to fully close the site was criticized by some cultural stakeholders. An open letter in 2024 urged a phased renovation, citing the Pompidou’s civic importance and public function. While the letter acknowledged the need for asbestos removal, it questioned the cultural cost of a full shutdown. Nevertheless, Centre president Laurent Le Bon defended the approach as a generational opportunity to reset the institution without compromising public safety or long-term performance.
The design intentionally resists the speed and density associated with digital environments, instead supporting slower, embodied modes of public interaction. “The Pompidou won’t be an institution anymore but an extension of the city,” said Nicolas Moreau. Frida Escobedo’s contribution to the Bpi’s redesign focuses on spatial flexibility and integrating book culture with exhibition and social space. Artworks and collections will move between areas, including the library, children’s hub, and retail zones, dissolving traditional boundaries between curatorial and public functions.
The renovation retains the original architectural logic while reinterpreting its intentions. Piano, consulted throughout the design process, expressed support for the new plan, calling it “wholly in keeping with the building’s architecture.” Kusunoki added that while the original vision emphasized information and scale, the new focus is on connection, imagination, and tactile experience. Moreau summarized the project’s objective as fostering “a place of physical social engagement,” where the Pompidou becomes more than a museum—it becomes a civic interface within the city.
By 2030, the Centre Pompidou is expected to return as a renewed cultural platform, structurally updated and programmatically reimagined to serve future generations, while continuing its role as one of the most important examples of architectural experimentation and public culture in Paris.
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