With an exhibition area of 8,000 sq. m. The Museum of French Monuments, one of the subdivisions of the Center, claims the title of the largest architectural museum in the world. Its exhibitions cover the masterpieces of 12 centuries of French architecture, from the details of buildings of the early Middle Ages and ending with a life-size copy of the interior of a typical apartment in the "residential unit" of Le Corbusier in Marseille and a model of the Renzo Piano cultural center in New Caledonia, a French possession in the South Pacific. …
The French President invited 15 leading world architects to the opening ceremony, including Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Zaha Hadid, Tom Maine and Jean Nouvel, and also had breakfast with them at the Elysee Palace.
Therefore, his speech at the opening of the museum was addressed not only to numerous officials from culture, but also to these "stars" of the architectural sphere.
Sarkozy urged architects to be bolder in their projects, as their works shape the human "environment" - and even the fate of both individuals and society as a whole. High-quality and original buildings, according to the French president, are needed now in modern Paris; they must improve the living space of the residents of both inner city districts and dull suburbs. Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his support for the projects of the Paris Philharmonic Nouvel and the Far skyscraper in the Thommein Defense district, which were criticized not only by members of the public, but also by officials, including the Minister of Culture Christine Albanel.
He also suggested involving French and foreign architects, especially young ones, to create a new master plan for "Greater Paris"; This project is intended to correct the mistakes of city planners of the de Gaulle era and make the suburban areas of the city full-fledged urban structures, with recreational zones, a thoughtful solution of public space, and the widespread use of the principle of mixed development.
Sarkozy also paid attention to the modern procedure for holding architectural competitions, which is common for the entire European Union. It provides for the anonymity of any competition and the complete absence of contact between participants and customers until its completion. According to the president, this deprives the architects of the opportunity to become more deeply familiar with the task at hand, and the developer - to more clearly express their wishes.
In general, Sarkozy called for the democratization of the entire field of architecture, from the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage sites to the design of new structures.
The close attention paid by the newly elected French president to architecture is an expected development. After the era of “big construction works” by François Mitterrand (the French National Library, the Louvre Pyramid, the Arches of the La Defense district, the Opera Bastille theater), the desire to leave his mark on the fabric of the building of Paris for the head of state is quite understandable. Jacques Chirac managed to carry out only one major project - the Museum on the Quai Branly Jean Nouvel. But Sarkozy clearly intends to act more decisively; in favor of two of the most ambitious projects to date for the French capital, he also plans to improve the urban situation in the entire Parisian metropolitan area. Even if his intentions are only partially realized, the name of Nicolas Sarkozy will still remain associated with the active architectural transformation of the city's appearance.
