Two Architects, two perspectives on modernity; the contrast of the architectural design of Frank Gehry and Rafael Moneo.

 Two Architects, two perspectives on modernity; the contrast of the architectural design of Frank Gehry and Rafael Moneo. 

 

Frank Gehry and Rafael Moneo are two of the most influential architects of the 20^th century. Frank Gehry’s trajectory as an architect was one that went for the jugular in his designs, creating a unique perspective for modernity. Rafael Moneo’s approach towards architecture was one more of the academic and taking inspiration from the past and uniting it with the present. Gehry and Moneo had distinct perspectives for design, but both of them reached the same end, modernist architecture for a modern world. 

Rafael Moneo embraced a very academic or intellectual perspective through his career as an architect, as well as his own personal image. This academic view would become one of Moneo’s most important tools to give rise to his various iconic architectural projects. Perhaps one of the recognizable aspects of his academic approach towards architecture was the importance Moneo’s emphasized to acknowledge the historical context of the region he was giving rise to projects. This concept also suggested that the pre-existing architecture of the regions he was assigned to work on had to be respected, therefore the new architecture would contain aspects of the past in its inspiration. 

Frank Gehry was one of the most important architects of the 20^th century. His architectural style, which was one that involved heavily on the spectacle, was a very innovative way to showcase modernist architecture. As in the way he presented himself towards the world, he would be very much integrated into pop culture. This is not to suggest that he wasn’t serious in his work by not necessarily bowing down to an academic approach like Moneo, but rather finding his own path that allowed him to enhanced his creative process just like Moneo choose his own distinct thought process. One of Frank Gehry’s most important and iconic designs was Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain. This majestic project showcased the brilliance of Gehry’s creative process and remains to this day one of the most iconic projects in the history of architecture. 

Rafael Moneo and Frank Gehry were two of the most important architects of the 20^th century. Their influence in the field of modernist architecture would be distinct in their design language, but in its conclusion the same. Rafael Moneo adhered himself to an academic approach towards his architectural design. Frank Gehry chose a more laded back approach, this is not to suggest that he was not serious in his work, but rather that his style was his own and chose was best worked for him for his creative process. Both of these architects would carry themselves distinctively, but impact the world of modernist architecture in a very significant way, each with its own style. 

 

References: 

Isado.net. “Referencias Gehry/Moneo: Estrategias Compositivas de lo Antimoderno y de lo Informe.”.http://www.isado.net/3121-enlaces- gehrymoneo

Isado.net: “El Guggenheim vs El Kursaal 2: Surfacing, Ordering, Authorship. http://www.isado.net/gehrymoneo- imgsedit