Whenever we think of Paris we imagine the usual charming 'old' icons.
But this magnificent city has a modern edgy side to it, and it is little publicised.
If you draw a straight line through The Louvre, up the Champs Elysee, through the Arc de Triomphe and continue up, you will run into a skyscraper city known as Le Defense.
It is spectacular and a wonderful monument to cutting edge architecture.
The thing I love about European cities is their lack of fear in placing the new beside the old.
They embrace modernity, and I love it.
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| Reflections of Miro and Calder |
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| Under Piano's glass pyramid, Louvre |
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| Inside the 3 sided CNIT building |
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| EDF building meets Miro |
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| Quai Bramley's green exterior |
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| Wonderful rhythms |
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Exo-skeletal elevators,
Pompidou Centre |
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Quai Bramley's glass walls
with prints |
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| Pompidou Centre |
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| Pompidou Centre |
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| Inside The Grande Arch |
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| Glass towers Le Defense |
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Le Defense
from atop the Grande Arch. |
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| Optical illusions with space |
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| Calder, glass and steel |
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Mirror upon mirror,
reflection on reflection |
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The Grande Arch, 40 storeys tall.
Notre Dame fits inside the Arch.
As wide as the Champs Elysee.
Built exactly100 years after Eiffel's Tower.
The vertical metal structure inside the arch
are two glass elevators.
The two side walls are office blocks.
The top horizontal panel is an exhibition space
and outdoor viewing platform. |
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| Water feature sculpture |
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| Striking holes |
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| Vast water sculptures in the plaza |
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| EDF building, towering elegance |
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| Beautiful mosaic exhaust stack |
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CNIT building,
supported at 3 points only |
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Underground Salon des Halles,
shopping Centre |
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| Pompidou, wearing its inside out |
Just one more beautiful face with a myriad of bodies. Great shots Pete. Just got back from Milano. Lots of fun. Jo and I are heading off to France for a drive Wednesday. Enjoy the rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteRobertO