Rising out of the Parisian landscape like a spaceship, the Centre Pompidou was a scandal and a sensation. Its inside-out design was an affront to French society – one local was so outraged, she took to the building’s creator with an umbrella in the street.

For Nick Mitzevich, the 4th arrondissement landmark is a metaphor for the art world at large. The National Gallery of Australia boss sees its colourful utilities and exposed engineering as a form of radical transparency, perfect for cultural institutions in the 21st century.