In June 2009 the seventeenth-century Punta della Dogana, a building that is the very symbol of the city of Venice, re-opened its doors to the public, becoming – along with Palazzo Grassi – one of the venues of the François Pinault Foundation’s Centre for Contemporary Art. Once again the restoration project was by Tadao Ando. Both daring and respectful, imperious and delicate, the work was spectacular and discreet, transforming these ancient warehouses into a fitting exhibition venue for one of the greatest of all collections of contemporary art. The past and the present are thus combined in a world without time, creating a place that is unique in the world.