Guggenheim When Comparing the Two Term Paper

Cantilever construction is known by projecting a form that is attached at one end to the building, while the other end juts out.

Second I will discuss the symbolism of the two buildings. The symbolism of both shows that the key images of both buildings depends on the perspective from which the building is viewed. The author talks of a 'colossal artichoke...a blooming flower' when referring to the Gehry museum while Wright's Guggenheim is in the shape of a seashell. These are all key images as related to the two architects.

The third discussion will focus on the iconography of the buildings which can be described as the viewer's participation in identifying and explaining what is going on in the building.

As mentioned above neither building has a form that follows function and the Gehry creation especially is difficult to tell what is going on in the building. Each perspective of the building from the viewer's participation can be totally different depending on the view. This is especially true of Gehry's museum. Wright's museum has a more difficult time in being 'right' due to its proximity to so many closely cropped buildings. This difficulty is examined in the next paragraph when the composition of both buildings is discussed. The composition of a building can be defined as "the ordering of relationships: among details, among regions, among details and regions and among these and the total structure" (Martin, 79). Gehry's museum is much more ordered than Wright's is. Wright seems to be just a little off in his approach, which may have been the way he wanted it, but certainly is throws the viewer for a loop that is somewhat disconcerting.The light and shadow of the building is not quite as open as Gehry's is, which leads right into the discussion on Chiaroscuro.

Frank Gehry's chiaroscuro (light and shadows) is much more enlightening than Wright's is. This may be due to the fact that Wright uses the spiral cantilever design which blocks some areas from the necessary light.

Both buildings are remarkable creations though designed and built years apart. Their unique designs are reflective of the genius both architects displayed in their buildings. Comparing both buildings is an interesting discussion encompassing the styles, symbolism, composition and chiaroscuro as well as the social effects that each architect displays.

References

The Building. Guggenheim Museum. http://www.guggenheim.org/the_building.html, Accessed March 12, 2008

Martin, David F., and Lee a. Jacobus. The Humanities Through the Arts. 7th ed.

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