Three Generations of Designers Shape Centre Pompidou's Graphic Identity

The Centre Pompidou's graphic identity now incorporates the work of three designers from different generations: Jean Widmer (born 1929), who created the iconic striped logo in 1977; Ruedi Baur (born 1956), who developed a composite identity including a 'voile identifiant' for the 2000 reopening; and Pierre Bernard (born 1942), who designed a visual information system during the 1995-1999 renovation and now handles the 2001-2002 season's graphic line. Baur's 'voile identifiant'—a typographic all-over using multiple languages and colors—is gradually disappearing from print media, as Bernard's approach simplifies the word-image relationship. The Centre Pompidou has long served as a showcase for graphic design through its signage, visual identity, and extensive printed production. The institution recently hosted the exhibition 'Signes de la jeune création graphique en France' and a symposium by the Alliance Graphique Internationale, signaling renewed attention to the field.