Dictionary of Modern Architecture: High-tech

Centre Pompidou in France by by Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano, and Gianfranco Franchini.

High-tech buildings are often called machine-like. Steel, aluminium, and glass combine with brightly colored braces, girders, and beams. Many of the building parts are prefabricated in a factory and assembled later. The support beams, duct work, and other functional elements are placed on the exterior of the building, where they become the focus of attention. The interior spaces are open and adaptable for many uses.

The High-tech Centre Pompidou in Paris appears to be turned inside out, revealing its inner workings on the exterior facade.