Shigeru Ban Curates and Designs Retrospective at Centre Pompidou-Metz, the Museum He Designed
Shigeru Ban takes a hands-on approach in both the curation and scenography of 'Building a Better World,' a retrospective at the Centre Pompidou-Metz, which he co-designed with Jean de Gastines and opened sixteen years ago. This exhibition showcases over four decades of Ban's architectural journey, featuring his initial experiments, significant cultural landmarks, disaster relief structures, and his innovative use of wood, paper, and recyclable materials. Uniquely, the architect displays his work within one of his own designs, allowing the Centre Pompidou-Metz to serve as the venue, subject, and experience of the exhibition. Ban emphasizes that constructing a museum, house, school, cathedral, or temporary shelter is part of a unified architectural philosophy that intertwines invention with social responsibility.
Key facts
- Shigeru Ban designed the Centre Pompidou-Metz with Jean de Gastines; the museum opened sixteen years ago.
- The exhibition 'Building a Better World' is curated and scenographed by Shigeru Ban himself.
- It covers over forty years of Ban's architecture, including early experiments, major cultural buildings, disaster-relief structures, and work with wood, paper, and recyclable materials.
- The Centre Pompidou-Metz serves as venue, subject, and one of the experiences of the exhibition.
- The show highlights a dialogue between the building, its architect, and a philosophy linking constructive invention with responsibility and care for inhabitants.
- Ban treats museums, houses, schools, cathedrals, and temporary shelters as part of the same architectural approach.
- The exhibition reveals an architectural vision of remarkable coherence.
- The retrospective is presented at the Centre Pompidou-Metz.
Entities
Artists
- Shigeru Ban
- Jean de Gastines
Institutions
Locations
- Metz
- France