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| Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (1997) Frank Gehry |
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| Eiffel Tower (1889) Gustave Eiffel The Eiffel Tower and the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao have both been described as significant architectural constructions of their time. The Eiffel Tower has been described as; 'a symbol of technological prowess' (www.tour- eiffel.com/) and the Guggenheim museum has been 'hailed as the most important structure of its time' ( www. guggenheim.org/bilbao ) Research both architectural structures in order to comment on; -the importance of the design and construction -significance of the materials -significance of the designer -function for which each was built -function now-has it changed? Compare the two architectural structures, by noting their similarities and differences. "It was at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, the date that marked the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution" (Tour) this was the start of the great monument that we now know and recognise as the Eiffel Tower. The design team consisted of two engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier and an architect, Stephen Sauvestre. "The Tower had been finished in record time – 2 years, 2 months and 5 days – and was established as a veritable technical feat." (Tour) "Built within the context of Bilbao Ria 2000 Plan to revitalize some industrial areas of the city of Bilbao, the Guggenheim Museum was designed by the American architect Frank O. Gehry. The Basque Government’s brief was to have one of the most significant 20th century buildings, and finally it was." (Galinsky) The competition required "erecting an iron tower on the Champ-de-Mars with a square base, 125 metres across and 300 metres tall" (Tour) so the use of solely Iron was a must for this great monument. overall the structure consisted of 18,00 pieces of Iron and 2,500,00 rivets of which only a third were actually installed on site. Frank Gehry used blocks of limestone, half-millimeter-thick titanium panels and glass curtains all at different volumes and used abstract designs to create a masterpiece. The limestone represented the respect for the traditional existing buildings in the area especially the Deusto University and the metal panels represents the futuristic look the Basque Government was looking for. Although the two engineers had came up with the original idea of the great tower "In order to make the project more acceptable to public opinion, Nouguier and Koechlin commissioned the architect Stephen Sauvestre to work on the project's appearance" (Tour) Frank Gehry is renowned for his abstract influenced works such as the Disney Concert House in California and has been known to lead the way for 20th Century architecture, so his designs would suit the brief perfectly. The Eiffel Tower was built for the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and consisted of 5 lifts, 2 floors (and the top) and 2 restaurants. it requires 60 tonnes of paint to prevent it from rusting. Also although the Eiffel Tower has regular maintenance and a few alterations thought out the years its purpose now is to be an tourist attraction and an icon for not only the people of Paris but also for the people of France. "This sculptural building is composed by different volumes with different uses apart from the exhibition rooms: an auditorium, a library, offices, a cafĂ© and a restaurant." (Galinsky). It has still kept its original purpose as to be a museum for the people of Spain. References: The Eiffel Tower Guggenheim Museum |
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