Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
"Entering into the spirit of this interior, you will discover the best possible atmosphere in which to show fine paintings or listen to music. It is this atmosphere that seems to me most lacking in our art galleries, museums, music halls and theaters." - Frank Lloyd Wright *
LEGO® Architecture introduces The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
In search of a suitable place for displaying his large collection of modern art, collector & philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim, together with personal art adviser, German painter Hilla Rebay, set his focus on Frank Lloyd Wright.
Persuading a visionary
Wright was a man of strong opinions, not known to be easily persuaded when his mind was set. However, this time he agreed to take on the task, even if he initially had been opposed to the idea of creating the museum in New York, a city he characterized as already overbuilt and way too populated.
From when he was hired by Solomon in 1943, Wright spent 16 years, drawing 700 sketches and six sets of working plans for The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, better known simply as The Guggenheim.
Perfect curves between the angles
Overlooking Central Park, located on the corners of 5th Avenue and 89th street, Wright´s most recognized piece is an organic treat to the eye, breaking apart and breathing life into the (in comparison), monotony of the surrounding right angled Manhattan buildings.
The Guggenheim rises as an expanding perfect light-beige helix, implementing lines from nature as well as strict geometrical shapes. As one of the first users of Gunite (sprayed concrete), Wright was able to create the very smooth, seamless curves.
Seen by so many, but never the mind behind...
As he died the 9th of April 1959, Wright himself did not live to see the grand opening of his last masterpiece, it would open October 21st the same year. Solomon had by this time been gone nearly 10 years.
Since 2005 a lot of planning and reconstruction prepared The Guggenheim for it´s 50th anniversary in 2009.
With its 50 years of age, The Guggenheim´s original, almost alien design, still sets it ahead of our time. Wright himself got his inspiration from the past, through his impressions of nature.
Words from the LEGO Architect:
“This model embraces 3 creative techniques. The first of these is using the natural joints between a series of bricks as a subtle way of indicating geometric details. The second is the playful ways the curved bricks interact with each other really capture the forms essence that gives this museum its distinctive architectural style. Last, the iconic upside down truncated spiral gallery was recreated by clever use of illusion. Here I employed a visual technique making the “cone” seem top heavy by using 3 discs, then 2 and then finally 1. Since the discs share the same size diameter, making them seem heavy aloft was the necessary trick to fool your eyes into creating the tapering effect through your subconscious imagination. This effect is very subtle, but nonetheless there and effective." - Adam Reed Tucker
*Quote — Frank Lloyd Wright. "Frank Lloyd Wright", The Architectural Forum, January, 1948, Vol 88 Number 1. p89.