Inside the Centre Pompidou's last hoorah

It’s been just over a month since Paris’ Centre Pompidou closed its doors ahead of a five-year renovation project. In need of renewal, lead architects Moreau Kusunoki revealed their bold vision to Wallpaper* last year – a refresh that preserves the building’s signature colour-coded tubing, exposed services, and steel-and-glass expanses, while rethinking the spaces within.

But before construction began, the now-empty museum proved too tempting a stage for Because Music – the French record label marking its 20th anniversary this year. Long-time collaborators with the Pompidou (legend has it, Daft Punk were inspired to pursue electronic music after a rooftop rave here), the label saw it as the perfect setting for a weekend devoted to art, sound, and creative exchange. And working in close collaboration with the venue, Because Beaubourg came to life.

More than just a party, the two-day takeover drew on the label’s most illustrious names – Thomas Bangalter, Shygirl, Justice – alongside a new wave of diverse talent, breathing creative energy back into the dormant museum.

By day, the public were invited to explore a programme of installations and talks spanning fashion, art, music and gaming. American artist Mickalene Thomas led a masterclass; Michel Gaubert, Jeanne Friot, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and Surkin examined the relationship between fashion and sound; and Sébastien Tellier joined mix engineer Tom Elmhirst for a deep dive into the art of music production.

Elsewhere, immersive experiences were created by select Because labelmates. Justice's mirrored light installation, Iris Augmented, invited visitors to step inside the world of a Justice music video. Shygirl presented Alias, a sensorial exploration of identity and the inner self. And Thomas Bangalter created a dual video exhibition of never-before-seen works, shot 19 years apart.

The Pompidou’s sixth floor – with its panoramic views over Paris – was reimagined as a roller disco, while by night the museum’s ground floor became the dancefloor, soundtracked by a rotation of DJ royalty including Soulwax, Thomas Bangalter and Erol Alkan, with surprise appearances from Fred Again.. and live performances by Christine and the Queens, Shygirl and Alewya.

'We have done a lot of things together over the last twenty years,' says Emmanuel de Buretel, Because Music founder and label boss, of the collaboration with Centre Pomidou. 'So this concludes a long friendship and a long respect for this beautiful museum which is very pure in the art it presents.'

As send-offs go, it was one worthy of the Pompidou’s legacy – a fusion of art, architecture and sound that captured the spirit of experimentation at the heart of both the museum and the label. As the building enters its next chapter, Because Beaubourg stands as a fitting reminder of what happens when creative worlds collide.