Theodore Vadot ’19
Although concrete is best known as a quintessential aspect of 20th century modernist architecture, it was first used in Ancient Rome. A material that is easy to work with, structurally sound, and visually appealing, it was revolutionary in terms of the various possibilities of what could be made with it.
Made entirely out of concrete, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and completed in 1959, six months after Wright’s death. The Guggenheim is arguably the most important building of Wright’s late career, due to the unique architecture of the space as well as its monumental significance to modernism. Furthermore, the Guggenheim’s unique shape is known for breaking the monotonous New York skyline, offering a transition into the natural environment of Central Park. This goes along with Wright’s career-long philosophy of extending nature through the use of architecture.
The Pantheon might just be the most impressive works of Roman architecture. It shows off the Romans’ mastery of the use of arches, as well as their precision in measurements, and their attention to every last detail. For example, the diameter of the dome and the interior height are both 141 feet and 8 inches, creating an intentional harmony on behalf of the architect.
Additionally, if the dome was to be flipped upside down, it would fit exactly into the rotunda. This demonstrates to what extent this architect paid attention to these small details with the goal of impressing the viewer.
One aspect that defined Roman architecture and separated it from Greek architecture was its high attention to the interior space as well as the exterior space. Previously, the Greeks had prioritized the exterior space as being much more important than the interior. The Pantheon is a perfect example of this, as it offers the visitor an initial glimpse at its impressive exterior, only to be introduced to another impressive sight, the Pantheon’s interior. Similarly to the Pantheon, the Guggenheim has a rotunda with a massive opening going all the way to the building’s ceiling. In these two buildings, this central empty space allows the space to become continuous with its exterior, especially through the use of natural light in the form of an oculus.
The Pantheon’s oculus was tied with the Romans’ symbolism, wanting heaven to be inside the building. Having an open hole that gave direct access to the sky allowed them to experience being closer to the gods. While the use of the oculus in the Guggenheim was partly to have a closer connection to the sky, Wright’s philosophy was to utilize the continuously changing natural light to display the art and light up the space as a public space – a continuation of the outside city environment. Additionally, the Guggenheim features a ceiling above the rotunda that is made entirely of glass, giving in much more natural light than the Pantheon’s oculus, but the skylight in the Guggenheim nevertheless has a central cutout that forms a distinct oculus. As a result, the oculi in both of these buildings allow them to be brightened by natural light, while also allowing the architects to express their respective philosophies.
The discovery and use of concrete in the Pantheon and other Roman Architecture has influenced architects throughout history to use concrete, such as Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer, and Frank Lloyd Wright, amongst others. In the Pantheon, concrete’s common qualities are exhibited; it is structurally sound and stable, while also being aesthetically attractive. Likewise, Wright used concrete in the Guggenheim because of how easy it is to work with, and how smooth and clean it turns out to be visually, an important aspect of modernist architecture. Ultimately, the Guggenheim is a perfect example of modernist architecture that can be rooted in Ancient architectures such as the Romans’ architecture. Additionally, it is a little-known fact that Frank Lloyd Wright’s inspiration for the Guggenheim’s unique shape was an upside-down ziggurat, a structure known to have been used in Ancient Mesopotamia. In Wright’s six separate sets of plans and 749 drawings of the Guggenheim, one can see his progression from the original ziggurat-inspired shape to its present form.