Quiz: Take an Architecture Adventure

Opened to the public in 1997, this gravity-defying building is one of the most important architectural creations of the late 20th century. Instantly iconic, it’s won a number of awards including ‘Modern World Wonder Award’ by Traveler magazine, ‘Outstanding Structure Award’ by IABSE and ‘European Museum of the Year’. It’s also been named one of the world’s most beautiful buildings by Lonely Planet. 

The building was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. Throughout his career, Gehry was influenced by surrealist and cubist artists like Picasso, Marcel Duchamp and Giorgio Morandi. He was also inspired by Renaissance and Baroque sculptors like Michelangelo and Bernini. 

These surrealist and sculptural influences can clearly be seen in Gehry’s work. Many of his buildings, including our mystery structure, have gravity-defying designs, curved and fragmented silhouettes and beautifully molded exteriors. 

The building was designed to help revitalize and regenerate the rundown port area of its eponymous city, and added an estimated $160 million added to the local economy in just 12 months following the building’s completion. Since 1997, it’s believed the gallery has helped to bring an extra $3.5bn into the region.

The building is made from limestone and glass, and clad in 33,000 sheets of titanium. This metallic finish gives the structure a modern, organic feel while reflecting the light, colors and landscape of the city that surrounds it. The titanium skin has become one of the building’s most iconic features. Gehry used a similar technique when designing the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA in 1991.

Have you guessed which spectacular structure we’re talking about yet?

Credited with reviving Bilbao’s rundown port, and bringing thousands of euros of tourism revenue into the Basque Region, The Guggenheim Bilbao is one of the most successful regeneration projects in Europe. Part of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, it’s one of the largest museums in Spain. 

Every year, the museum welcomes well over a million visitors. These culture vultures are able to enjoy a wide range of exhibitions and installations, many of which are specially designed for the museum.

These interactive and immersive experiences have given the Guggenheim a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting galleries and made it a must see destination for all lovers of modern art.