Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Introduction
Among the oldest forms of heritage that every community, country or society boasts to possess as the oldest form of culture and tradition that it has maintained over centuries include art and architecture. One of the most essential things to note concerning art and architecture is the fact that every community and society has its own unique and authentic designs, which were developed centuries ago, with inspiration drawn from different sources, such as the indigenous people’s ways of life, as well as other close-knit and personal aspects and reasons, such as the artistic skill, talent and creativity of the artistic and architectural designs (Standardgraph 23). As a result, for a long time, different societies and countries have been proud of their unique, well developed, outstanding and authentic forms of architectural skill and knowledge that they apply in their day to day activities, especially in construction and decoration. In the mid-old and late-old ages and eras, however, architecture became an essential part and parcel of the society, especially, due to the fact that the agrarian revolution which took place starting 1750 A.D. brought people together, particularly, assisting them to have a centralized and permanent life, as well as permanent ways of doing things. This is one of the factors and aspects that developed the intrusion to develop architectural designs, particularly in building and construction. At the same time, there are several developments that were noted in the architectural field, whereby different architects developed and applied their architectural skills in their continents and beyond, which led to the sharing of different architectural designs across the world, something that remains monumental to date. Some of these architectural exchanges between continents include the Guggenheim Museum architectural design (Standardgraph 233).
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Background information
Designed by Frank Gehry, a designer and architect of an American-Canadian descent, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is located in Bilbao, Spain. It is one of the most elaborate and outstanding, recent architectural works that many people, architects and civilians alike, have admired for a long time, and that has pulled many people and tourists alike, due to its elaborate and fascinating design. Constructed in the year 1991 after a proposal by the Basque government, the museum used an estimated total of US$182 million, after a proposal to the Solomon G. Guggenheim foundation to construct the museum along the Nervion River, which headed and ran into the shores of the Atlantic Ocean (Bruggen 56). On the other hand, however, the Solomon G. Guggenheim Foundation agreed to manage the museum, and at the same time, conducting various exhibitions in the museum. This is one of the ways through which the museum was able to self-sustain itself, as well as make extra funds and finances, which supported the foundation’s free, non-profitable activities within and outside the city. Consequently, over the two decades that the Guggenheim Museum has been in operation, it has successfully increased its exhibitions to over a hundred, and at the same time, hosted over ten million tourists from the country and beyond, who have been fascinated by different aspects in the museum, ranging from its exhibitions to its architectural design, which is the major focus of this paper (Guggenheim Foundation 27).
The outcome
Having developed s strategy through which Gehry would construct the museum, the architect adopted deconstructivism as the strategy to use in achieving the same. With its three fragmented and externally intersecting curves, this design was monumental since it served as a memorial for the destructive activities that took place in the Spanish and the entire European region. At the same time, considering the fact that it is a museum, deconstructivism would serve an essential role in attracting tourists from both within Spain and beyond. Consequently, Gehry developed a 32,500-square-meter museum, based on a glass, stone and titanium with interconnecting shapes. However, he integrated both the mid-old era designs and the contemporary urban designs (Schreyer 99).
The exhibition space took about 256,000 square feet with three initial Guggenheim collections and over nineteen galleries. At the same time, it is necessary to note that the incomplete and edgy planes have played a major role in developing and improving the quality of the services that the building offers to the exhibition role that it plays (Frampton 66). For example, although the building has taken much of the external space due to the unfinished and extending planes for the walls, this has an interior advantage, since it has created ample room for the interior designing of the building, whereby, it has offered ample internal space for the one-hundred plus exhibitions that the museum exhibits. Gehry has also adopted Greek artwork in his architectural design, and this is one of the aspects that have harmonized the implementation of local design in the artistic creation and development of the architectural concepts (Guggenheim Foundation 34).
Lastly, it is necessary to note the fact that Frank Gehry put into consideration the laws of the universe, which are in this case, the natural laws of nature. Some of these include aspects such as the climatic setting of the region, humidity (considering the fact that the museum was established and constructed adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, laws of gravity, and most essentially, the availability of the construction resources, which were in this case, titanium, glass and stone. Considering the fact that Frank Gehry and his construction tam had US$ 182 million, it was necessary to ensure that the entire work and completion of the museum construction must fall within the limits of the budget. Consequently, acquiring the construction material was effective, since the material was readily available, and was used to carry out the specific goals that it sought to achieve (Schreyer 45). For example, the titanium curves at the edges and finishing of the planes was distinctive, as well as the glass atrium, which soared high at the top of the museum, and this made it attractive, and easy to catch people’s attention from a distance. This is also necessary, especially in guiding and directing people, considering the fact that Gehry sought to use it as a signature landmark at the shores. Below is a pictorial demonstration of its view (Goodman 93).
Figure 1.1: The Guggenheim Museum (Drutt, 2003, p. 89)
Design’s philosophical origins and principles
After several architects were proposed for the construction and development of the museum, the Solomon G. Guggenheim Foundation picked on Frank Gehry to carry on and proceed with the construction. However, considering the fact that the Basque government had focused on funding the project with US$182 million, the Solomon G. Guggenheim Foundation instructed Mr. Gehry to come up with an architectural design that was daring, different and authentic. Consequently, Mr. Frank Gehry picked on the “Deconstructivism” design, which is an architectural design that is a 20th century’s masterpiece and prodigy. It is necessary to briefly look at deconstructivism, in order to understand the reason why Mr. Gehry picked on it. Having been developed in the mid-1980s, the deconstructivism design is a twentieth century prodigy that was mainly characterized and represented by fragmentation. Fragmentation is the case whereby the visual appearance of the building’s surfaces was characterized by unpredictable designs and developments, as well as non-rectilinear shapes in the construction planes, which were developed from exaggerated or distorted planes (Drutt 56).
Deconstruction
In order to understand deconstructivism, it is necessary to start by understanding deconstruction and its implementations as well as adoption into architecture. Deconstruction, a philosophy developed and adopted by Jacques Derrida in 1967, was a school of thought that promoted the literal destruction of earlier strategies and ways of doing things, particularly prior to the first and the second world war, and a consequent implementation of a new strategy of doing the same thing. In the 1970s, this strategy was widely adopted in various fields and professions, and these include architecture and design. This is a case whereby architectures developed new ways and designs in their construction, and developed these new strategies from the earlier designs that had existed prior to the popularization of this school of thought. This led to the consequent development of deconstructivism, and this is the strategy that Frank Gehry heavily adopted and implemented in his design.
Deconstructivism
Deconstructivism has grown to receive both positive and negative approaches from various persons and parties, especially the architects themselves. In this case, therefore, many people have had varied views concerning this mode of construction. In the current twenty first century, however, deconstructivism has been referred to as a relevant contemporary construction design, whereby various architects and even construction companies continue to apply and adopt it in their construction activities. This is due to the fact that it brings out an authentic and different strategy, taste and design, which has not been adopted by many architects and construction designers, particularly, in the twenty first century. This is one of the major reasons why Mr. Frank Gehry adopted the strategy, since it made it stand out. Secondly, considering the fact that the strategy had not been previously adopted and highly implemented in Spain, this meant that it would provide adequate room for difference and authenticity, which is one of the aspects that architects look forward to, in order to make their activities and their works stand out, especially, in the twenty first century, whereby many architectural designs have been developed (Herz 283).
Application of deconstructivism in the construction of the Guggenheim Museum
One of the aspects that made Mr. Frank Gehry, the chief architect, to adopt this strategy is the fact that very few architects had applied it in Spain. At the same time, he was willing to experiment with a daring and authentic design, and deconstructivism presented itself as a perfect example for the implementation of the same (Drutt 78). Thirdly, considering the fact that the Basque government was willing to fund for the construction of the museum with US$182 million, the construction project was sufficiently funded, and had the financial requirements that were necessary for the application of the same. Lastly, considering the fact that Frank was constructing a museum, a unique and different design would best fit the occasion, since it would act as yet another source of attraction, which would also encourage the tourists to visit the museum, and in the process, see the many exhibitions that had been established in the museum. All these factors, combined together, are some of the aspects that triggered Mr. Frank Gehry to adopt this strategy and design. However, he faced initial opposition, particularly from other architects who had previously adopted and used this construction design, which however, did not deter him from proceeding to apply the design and construct the museum (Briggen 60).
According to Herz, due to these varied opinions from various architects and architectural consortiums, Frank Gehry adopted a strategy through which he would develop the strategy, in order to make sure that it works in line with the architectural expectations, considering the fact that most of the consortiums passed the architectural design as over-ambitious (78). In order to achieve this, Frank adopted and incorporated modernism and post-modernism in the construction design. According to architect Robert Venturi in his 1966 book called Complexity and contradiction in Architecture, Venturi has focused on some of the most essential areas to look at, especially in developing a construction design, and this is one of the aspects that Frank Gehry put into serious consideration. For instance, it is necessary to look at and analyze how effectively the strategy in question will effectively blend with the physical arrangement, condition and features of the setting, site and area where the building construction is about to take place. This is one of the essential strategies that Frank Gehry adopted, especially, based on the fact that he received different and varied opinions from various architects from Spain and beyond. However, the government was willing to fund the construction project, especially, considering the fact that the construction project for the museum was funded through the Solomon G. Guggenheim Foundation, who in turn, contracted Frank Gehry (Conde Nast Publications 79).
In order to effectively implement the strategy, Gehry and his construction team incorporated modernism and post-modernism in their construction strategies. Considering the fact that deconstructivism has been developed in the mid-1980s, there are several strategies that would not apply, especially in the last decade of the twentieth century, and that needed improvement. In this case, therefore, the construction team, headed by Frank Gehry, adopted modernism and post-modernism in their construction activities, whereby it incorporated various designs, both indigenous and exotic, in order to fit the taste of the target tourists. At the same time, considering the fact that Gehry was American-Canadian, he needed to get himself acquainted to the Spanish architectural designs, in order to incorporate part of the local and national designs in the construction of the museum (Spector 56).
It is also essential to note the fact that there are over a hundred exhibitions that normally take place at the museum. At the same time, all these exhibitions are thematic, which means that they follow a specific theme in their exhibitions, based on various factors such as the target population, as well as based on seasonality. In this case, therefore, Gehry established a post-modernized architectural design through deconstructivism, whereby any thematic exhibition would not be limited in establishing itself, as well as in the establishment and exhibition of the products and artifacts that it sought to portray (Goodman 30).
In his strategy to incorporate post-modernism in the deconstructivism design and strategy, for example, Frank Gehry used inventive forms and unorthodox material in order to establish an effective way through which he would construct the building. At the same time, considering the fact that a lot of growth and development was constantly and consistently taking place in all areas and regions across the world, he applied his high urban sensitivity, as part of his skill in construction, in order to develop an effectively applicable architectural design. Having adopted contemporary architecture, this provided much more room for Frank Gehry to exercise his creativity in the construction (Guggenheim Foundation 12).
Philosophy and principles of construction
In the field and circles of construction and architecture, there are several aspects that the final product should pass on, and that they should reflect to the person who views the construction and the final work of the architect. This is due to the fact that there are different aspects and factors that lead to the construction of any given structure or piece of work. In this case, for example, the construction of a building seeks to provide a position through which the building will be useful to the people or the society in which it has been build. Secondly, construction serves to communicate a given message to the people living in the area whereby the construction activity has taken place (Pallasmaa 208). This is achieved through various ways, such as the architectural designs and patterns that the constructor has used in his work. Thirdly, constructing a building or a structure seeks to portray the immediate society’s way of life, as well as seek to show the values that the community holds dearly, in their day to day lives. At this juncture also, construction shows the perception r view that the society has towards various aspects that affect their day to day lives (Spector 133).
Notably, Frank Gehry has focused on incorporating both the American-Canadian and the European architectural designs in the construction of the museum. For instance, through post-modern deconstructivism, he effectively incorporated the local architectural designs, for example, with the roughened surfaces, as well as the incomplete planes, as illustrated below.
Figure 1.1: Exterior view of Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (Halle, 2000, p. 113)
Works cited
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