2. Country Information  New Caledonia is located approximately 700 miles east of Australia and 900 miles northwest of New Zealand  It is not a self-governing nation, and is debating on whether or not to leave the French Republic  Having been a French colony, their main language is French, but there are also 33 other languages spoken  Estimated Population: 249,000

3. Building Location and Background  The Tjibaou Cultural Center is located in the Nouméa commune of New Caledonia  It was built to honor Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a political leader who was assassinated in 1989 for leading protests against France Nouméa

4. Designer: Renzo Piano  Renzo Piano (born 14 September, 1937) is a world renowned Italian architect and recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, AIA Gold Medal, Kyoto Prize and the Sonning Prize.  The main buildings of the cultural center were given a deliberate "unfinished" appearance as a reminder that Kanak culture is still in the process of becoming - a belief held by the deceased Kanak leader Jean-Marie  They were also designed to look like the huts the Kanak people live in

5. Building Information  There are 10 total “huts” all of different dimensions that cover a total area of 7,650m², costing an estimated 55 million US dollars  The largest is 28 meters high, approximately the size of a nine story building  Materials used include: steel, aluminum, concrete, glass and Iroko  Iroko is native to tropical Africa. It is very durable and almost completely immune to insects, fungi, and mold

6. Building Information  Each of the Tjibaou 'houses' serves a separate, specific purpose and all 10 are connected by an indoor 'backbone'; the central path common to traditional native villages  The 'houses' are further organized into three villages and the first of these is dedicated to exhibition activities and also incorporates a 400-seat auditorium and recording studio for performance arts  The second village houses offices for historians, researchers, exhibition curators, and administrative staff. The 'houses' in front of these offices are occupied by a conference hall and multimedia library  A third village, at the end of the path is located a little apart from the flow of visitors and its huts are used as studios for dance, painting, sculpture and music