The Pompidou Centre is opening a new venue in New Jersey. Known for its high-tech Paris building with an eye-catching exoskeleton, exterior pipes, and externalized stairs, the museum is planning a new location to be housed in a renovated brick building. Just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, the new site is in the Journal Square neighborhood of Jersey City.
While the Pompidou already has multiple locations in cities across Europe—and as far away as Shanghai—this will be the center’s first American venture, one which it has apparently been planning for years.
OMA released a rendering, which was published in the New York Times on Friday, June 5. According to a Jersey City Redevelopment Agency and OMA/AMO request for proposal, the 58,000-square-foot, historic Pathside Building is one of the city’s “most distinguished.” Constructed in 1912 to service public trolleys, it was later refurbished to house a community college. The city purchased it in 2018.
The Times reports that the renovation will cost “between $10 million and $30 million” and that the city will pay the Pompidou a yearly fee to “cover project development, branding, educational programming and the organization of exhibitions.”
As Jersey City seeks to leverage its proximity to New York City, it’s betting on the Pompidou brand, its extensive art collection, and the appeal of industrial grit to signal its cultural relevance.
Unlike ostentatious museum buildings exemplified by Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao, as the Pompidou continues to expand, it is choosing to adapt a 110-year-old structure: this is a much quieter and more ecologically friendly approach. Nevertheless, the true test of the project’s merit will be how it fits into a rapidly changing—and gentrifying—Jersey City. Will the Pompidou offer programming that includes and appeals to local residents? How it engages with the political and cultural context of its new home is more significant than convincing tourists—and even New Yorkers—to cross the Hudson River.
9 Comments
wow.
No doubt there was much political wrangling behind the scenes to pick the first published image. Don't want to invite any potential lawsuits.
If only half of that excitement on that roof deck were to be offered around the building at the public level it would be more Pompidou.
they could put the services outside the building but we have stupid energy and fire codes. i don't think i would put art out in public plaza tho, especially not in new jersey
Between the two partners splitting up OMA NY, you can tell who is in charge of which projects.
why?
The Times reports that the renovation will cost “between $10 million and $30 million” and that the city will pay the Pompidou a yearly fee to “cover project development, branding, educational programming and the organization of exhibitions.”
I like OMA, I do.
However, as reserved as this appears to be, I have one question regarding the firm, why exactly? This appears to be a straight up historic preservation/restoration project, was there not another firm that could do this project?
Second, WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK JERSEY CITY?? Did you chuckleheads solve poverty, un-housed, or that shit-hole PATH station.
In my best Tony Soprano; GTFO.
Its a fine addition to the Museum of Science & Trucking.
the oma thing would have been to make it in the path station, which is fantastic in its crudeness. this though is just boring and generic.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.