Guggenheim Museum, New York

Our group was quite interested in the architecture of the Guggenheim museum in New York. We knew it was a great piece of architecture but after briefly discussing some aspects of its tectonic qualities in class, we decided it would be interesting to do some more research on the inspiration for the museum.

The Guggenheim was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and opened in New York in 1959. The design for the museum was based on an inverted ziggurat.¹ This was an innovative design, unlike any other museum to date.

The museum was designed to be a ramp that wrapped around the building and allowed the visitor to experience the art as you walked up or down the ramp. The art exhibition on a level is viewable from any point on the ramp of that level. We found this interesting, as it coincides with the idea mentioned in class that the design of the museum was made to work with the fast paced lifestyle of New York. 

The continuous ramp, forms seven stories and is based on the principle of the unbroken wave.² The museum is made of reinforced concrete to allow for the spiral shape, and may be compared to a sculptural piece of art, on top of being architecture. At the top of the ramp is a skylight that also acts as the ceiling, letting in natural light.

As said by Paul Goldberger, Wright's building “made it socially and culturally acceptable for an architect to design a highly expressive, intensely personal museum. In this sense almost every museum of our time is a child of the Guggenheim.”

Citations:

1.Guggenheim Foundation. "Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York." Accessed October 11, 2011. http://www.guggenheim.org/guggenheim-foundation/architecture/new-york. 

2. Architecture Student Chronicles. "Solomon Guggenheim Spiral Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Masterpiece." Accessed October 11, 2011. http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/solomon-guggenheim-spiral-museum-frank-lloyd-wright-masterpiece/.

Picture Citations (from top to bottom)

1.Heald, David. "Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York." Guggenheim Foundation. Accessed October 11, 2011. http://www.guggenheim.org/guggenheim-foundation/architecture/new-york.Architecture Student Chronicles. "Solomon Guggenheim Spiral 2.Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Masterpiece." Accessed October 11, 2011. http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/solomon-guggenheim-spiral-museum-frank-lloyd-wright-masterpiece/.

3.Architecture Student Chronicles. "Solomon Guggenheim Spiral Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Masterpiece." Accessed October 11, 2011. http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/solomon-guggenheim-spiral-museum-frank-lloyd-wright-masterpiece/.