I chose the Guggenheim Museum for it's aesthetics. To me it stood out as a building of mystery and intrigue. Never before had I seen a building with such peculiar form. It was evocative and powerful. It stands on it's waterfront location boasting it's titanium exterior hidig what it within. Museums to begin with are mysterious due to their interesting contents, yet the Guggenheim Museum pushed that even further.
In my research I have found various articles an journals about the building. Some praising and other not so much. Due to the buildings iconic status and phenomenal success it is only natural that it be critiqued thouroughly. Aspects that have been critiqued more often are it's effect on he social and cultural history of t's location and it's effect on the overall image it poses to it's location to th ret of the world. "Situated prominently on the waterfront near the center of Bilbao, the building interrupts the life of the city, and is an insult to pedestrians who would like to use the space for anything other than gawking at the building" (http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=827). The author of the article goes on to critique Gehry's feelings towards the way the general public porject themselves when around his buildings. The impression I get is that the Guggenheim Museum, as much as is it supposed to draw people to the location as is it an icon of the city, it's suppresses it's interaction with the people it brings to it. The exterior of the building is cold and harsh, and it's peculiar shape is slightly daunting and unwelcoming. It rejects the physical interaction of the general public.
Other less cynical articles praise it for iconic value it holds in the city, bringing more tourists to the area. As a museum it plays a big part in portaying the local history and bringing the general public together in suh a manner.
It seems to me that the pros and cons of the building are extremely conflicting. The balance is somewhat questionable.
References:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/GuggenheimBilbao.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Guggenheim-bilbao-jan05.jpg
http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=827
No comments:
Post a Comment