Emily Elmburg – Blog 4 – Frank Lloyd Wright – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, which was originally known as the Museum of Non-Objective Art, has come to be known as one of the most iconic yet unusual buildings in all of New York. This museum is located on some prime real estate; 5th avenue right across from Central Park. The timing of the construction of this building is even unusual in the sense that the idea of the building was done in 1945 but the actual construction of the building did not finish until nearly 1959. This delay is thought to be because of the various wars that went on at the time.

This building pushes boundaries by creating a circular building that is made out of the heavy material of concrete.  Upon entry, one would glance up and notice the glass dome at the very top of the building. This building holds six floors of art and exhibits that are connected by one continuous, winding ramp. The building is part of the art, expanding the exhibit to include the building itself. While a good idea, many artists complained that their art was not being displayed in the way that it was intended to be seen because of the sloping walls. This was the last project built by Wright and was opened for business just six months after his death. 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *