What is architecture today? For some, the answer lies in the shape, for others, the functionality of a program and even how well a project responds to its context. Just like design and art movements featured in timelines, the same happens with whatever we consider worthy of the term "architecture”: labels are often useful, but in today’s world, can become a constraint. In contrast to late 19th and 20th century design, where the repetition of elements characterized the Modernist movement, today there is no such uniformity; cultural, social, political and technological factors have served as catalysts for an architecture that knows no boundaries, and as a result, is too diverse to fit under a single label. This can be seen when comparing the work of Frank Gehry and Rafael Moneo; two very daring, yet distinct, designers.
The vast differences between the two can be evidenced through both their personalities and their processes. Moneo, a reserved, yet humble man who carefully measures his words, designs from the standpoint of a scholar and educator. Valuing history above aesthetics, Moneo ensures each and every one of his projects relates effectively to their respective sites, reflected through his designs’ forms, choice in materials, and response to their environments. As a result, his designs are unique because they are tied to their site and their respective histories.
His more outspoken counterpart, Frank Gehry, is Moneo's complete opposite. A pop culture icon, Gehry is recognized for his radical architecture and his controversial postures regarding design, having once stated that “ninety-eight per cent of everything that is built today is pure shit. There’s no sense of design, no respect for humanity or for anything else”. Unlike Moneo, Gehry’s works bear little to no connection to their surroundings, primarily because he designs as a plastic artist. As such, his buildings become habitable metallic sculptures with a disjointed style, making them easily identifiable.
However, by taking a closer look at their projects, one can better appreciate these and other differences. Moneo's Kursaal and Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao embody the height of both architect’s careers. Both are large-scale public buildings with similar purposes, each facing the sea. Located in the shores of San Sebastián, Spain, Kursaal is comprised of two cubes, which emulate geological formations through its slanted faces, size and proximity to nature. Additionally, both volumes have a ribbed, yet transparent glass shell, which projects a warm glow to the interiors by day. On the other hand, the Guggenheim in Bilbao is one massive, twisting sculpture that resembles the shape of a ship.
The buildings' relationship to light is crucial in understanding both architects. Moneo's design is somber and makes the most of natural lighting in its interiors, while Gehry's Guggenheim Museum becomes a shining piece of armor, completely reflecting all forms of natural light. As a result of this, and as it clashes with the view of the city, Gehry's metallic ship draws attention onto itself. Finally, texture also demonstrates both designers’ philosophies: Moneo’s is clean and consistent, while Gehry’s titanium panels, upon close inspection, are dented and imperfect, suggesting the spontaneity of his process.
A comparison between Moneo, whose work reinterprets the past, and Gehry, who generates an entirely new sculpture with each project, shows different ways of performing the same task. However opposite they may be, these differences mark a significant similarity between them. Through the lens of historical context, or artistic creation, both of them valid and valuable, Gehry and Moneo prove to be architectural innovators, leading the way for both present and future designers.
References:
Belogolovsky, V. (2020, March 04). Rafael Moneo believes good architecture must be innovative but rooted in its place. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.stirworld.com/think-columns-rafael-moneo-believes-good-architecture-must-be-innovative-but-rooted-in-its-place
Elogio de la luz - Rafael Moneo, coraje y convicción. (2013, January 03). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/elogio-de-la-luz/elogio-luz-rafael-moneo-coraje-conviccion/1525590/
Netto, D. (2013, April 12). Lost in Translation. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/t-magazine/lost-in-translation.html
Pollack, S. (Director). (2006). Sketches of Frank Gehry. United States: Sony Pictures Classics.
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