Cité de la Musique

The Cité de la Musique is defined by its exterior of sharp, polished aluminum panels that catch the gray Paris light in jagged reflections. Designed by Christian de Portzamparc, the complex sits as a collection of interlocking volumes meant to break away from traditional concert hall rigidity. Before this site opened in nineteen ninety-five, a massive slaughterhouse stood here, covering this corner of the nineteenth arrondissement in blood and iron. Now, the space holds instruments instead of livestock, housing a vast national music museum.