When the San Francisco Academy of Sciences was rebuilt a few years ago, I was more excited about the architecture than the science. While the science is impressive, the building was designed by Renzo Piano, and it has, among other things, a green roof, intelligent ways to use water and electricity, and the most beautiful indoor rainforest. It’s one of the most architecturally stunning contemporary buildings I’ve ever seen, and I became a big Renzo Piano fan. I have also seen his NEMO science museum in Amsterdam which looks like a big fish, and the appropriately named The Shard in London. I don’t have pictures of those, because I wasn’t doing a blog then. You’ll have to trust me on that. |
The building is divided into two parts, the front entrance hall with galleries on each side (no photos in there, I tried), and the back side which has another gallery and an auditorium.
We’re going to Paris in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to visit the Georges Pompideau Center, designed by a team including Renzo Piano. The building’s guts are on the outside, instead of tucked away where you can’t see them. I think it’s best seen in this Electric Light Orchestra video.
Have you seen any Renzo Piano buildings? Did you like them?
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