Architecture Photo of the Day – #63 – Freedom Fighters
Discovering great architecture is always fun, and in my search for todays photo, I not only discovered great architecture from Renzo Piano, but also a story of cultural identity, struggle and ultimately, hope. The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre is situated on the Tinu Peninsula and was created to celebrate the indigenous Kanak culture of the Island. The centre was named after Jean-Marie Tjibaou, the freedom movements leader who was asassinated in 1989.
The native islanders of New Caledonia have fought for many years to gain independence from France, and this building represents their cultural identity. Here, on this tiny island the South Pacific, architecture is playing a vital role in preserving a culture and empowering a local population to not only remember their history under the onslaught of modern times, but also to regain their independence. Powerful.
