Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

However, and although spectacular, the design of the building was at first criticized by artists who said that the spectacular architecture itself competed with the works of arts displayed in the building and that the round walls were unappropriated for the showcasing of the paintings. Lloyd’s idea was to showcase them in a slightly elevated way, like in the artist’s lectern, but it failed since it was more complicated to achieve than expected. Therefore, in 1992, Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects were commissioned to build an annex that was originally in Lloyd’s sketches, a tower with 10 floors and straight walls to showcase the paintings.

Since it’s next to Central Park it’s not hard to take a small walk if you want to visit the exterior, but once you’re there it’s a crime to not go to the inside and witness the internal structure and the excellent and extremely enjoyable collection of modern art displayed in the inside. Before you enter you should make a plan, since the number of collections displayed in the inside has grown since the opening and it is easy to feel overloaded by art. Nevertheless, the Museum offers self-guided audio tours and guided visits in order to avoid this.

Strategically placed next to Central Park in order to avoid the noise of the city, the design of the building, both external and internally, resembles the shell of a Nautilus. However, this dramatic circular design is far more impressive in the inside. For the internal structure Lloyd proposed “a big space with a continuous floor”, constructed through a ramp that connects all the floors with no separation, making one flow to another, enabling the spectator to view several working shores at the same time.

Besides, Lloyd stated that the architectonical shapes of the building had a symbolic meaning: "the shapes suggest certain human ideas, moods and feelings – for example: the circle, infinity; the triangle, structural unity; the spiral, the organic process; the square, integrity".

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, youngest landmark in the city of New York, shines as one of the most striking buildings in the city compared to the strict style of the building net of Manhattan. Frank Lloyd Wright’s design in New York was the first headquarters ever designer to harbour Solomon Guggenheim’s vast collection of modern art that included pieces by Rudolf Bauer, Rebay, Piet Mondrian, Marc Chagall, Robert Delaunay, Fernand Léger, Amedeo Modigliani or Pablo Picasso.

By 1943, Guggenheim’s collection had reached a point where it was obvious that it needed a building of its own so it could also be displayed, so they offered the project to Lloyd Wright who accepted, excited to test his organic style of designing in an urban area. The construction however would be delayed until 1956 because of Guggenheim’s death and the post-war inflation.