RSHP was invited by the Centre Pompidou to prepare a major retrospective exhibition of the past 45 years of the work of Richard Rogers and his partners. The exhibition was timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Centre Pompidou in Paris and attracted over 150,000 visitors – the most successful architecture exhibition the Centre Pompidou has ever shown – between November 2007 and March 2008.
‘Richard Rogers + Architects – From the House to the City’ is a detailed survey of the work of Richard Rogers, from the early years with Norman and Wendy Foster and Su Rogers at Team 4 in the 1960s, through to his work with Renzo Piano designing the Centre Pompidou in the 1970s, to the numerous projects by Richard Rogers Partnership – now Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners – since the late 1970s.
The exhibition depicts the key themes that have evolved throughout Richard Rogers’ and his partners’ work including transparent, lightweight, legible, green, public, system and urban. Each theme is arranged in colour-coded sections: ‘Early Work’, ‘Transparent’, ‘Lightweight’, ‘Legible, Green’, ‘Public, Systems’, ‘Urban’ and ‘Work in Progress’. Projects are illustrated with a range of material, including 80 new and archive models, 80 drawings, 160 photographs, text and four specifically- commissioned films.
A 60-metre timeline depicting the work of the practice in chronological sequence using photography and drawings is also included in the exhibition. Visitors have the opportunity to read about the projects in a specially-designed break-out ‘piazza’ in the central area of the exhibition space.