The Big Negative Aspect of Architecture

When the first humans needed something to protect themselves from the cold or the heat, apart from clothes, they needed a place inside, secure and possibly not wet.

A CAVE was the perfect solution!!!

Just bring what you need inside (even fire) and, that's it. Their only problem was that, they had to live where there were caves because, if they lived on savanna in the open, of course, there were no caves and they had to begin to build something as a protection!

The Evolution of Shelter

Contrary to caves, that have ONLY the inside shape, whatever they built had also an outside shape or...LOOK.

In the beginning, depending on the location and weather, it was just an igloo or a hut made with branches and covered with leaves. The construction of the hut became more and more sophisticated but, the general look, was always a kind of...DOME!!!

Elegant, functional, secure and no care for the outside look.

When the building material that they used, became heavier and permitted them to build bigger and taller, inevitably, the "thing" acquired a different shape, so why not also something pleasant to look at?

But, the fundamental aspect of building was this: the shapes of the spaces they needed inside, determinate the outside shape. Very simple and, basically, a big square or rectangular BOX, or even a tower.

The Birth of the Architect

Even if through the millennia, the internal needs, were shaping the outside look, one damn day, a new species of man call "ARCHITECT", suggested a shape not dictated by the internal needs but just by a pleasant good looking home in order to impressed the neighbors. And, of course, for a lot of money.

That was the beginning of the end!!! Some extravagant buildings, always super expensive, began populating exclusive locations for the well to do. Lucky them!!!

The Museum Problem

Going clearly in that direction, the buildings that fell most under that spell were...MUSEUMS.

Following the "trend" of ignoring the internal needs of a building, the Museum itself became the most important piece of art, forgetting that the ONLY reason for a Museum to exist is to show art on the inside.

Let's try not to forget the origin of the word...Museum. It comes from the antique Greek word, Mouseion, that means "seat of the Muses", designated as a place of contemplation of the things inside.

So, the most absurd fact (of course in my opinion) is that people come from all parts of the world, to see the buildings created by the most famous architects as if THAT is the art that they come to see and not the ones exposed inside!

The Bilbao Effect

The most famous building of this category (in my opinion) is the one of Bilbao made by Frank Gehry! I totally agree that it is outstanding to look at and marvelous, but totally unnecessary to expose art!

Also, as you can see in various footage, it's mainly...EMPTY so, being a MUSEUM, where is the art to contemplate?

And, let's not forget that, being made in Titanium (!!!) it was CATASTROPHICALLY expensive to build, even if they were lucky in finding the material.

The Ideal Museum

In my opinion, the perfect look for a Museum should be a gigantic CUBE or DOME totally WHITE.

No windows to avoid distractions from the outside and light coming only from a big opening on top. Many simple floors, easily reachable and the only colors, apart from the white of the building, should be the colors of the pieces of art exposed!

The closest to my definition, is the Guggenheim Museum in New York that is totally white, and inside has an endless spiral corridor that goes all around toward the top, totally full of art!

Thanks Frank Lloyd Wright!!!!!

Conclusion

In conclusion, let's go back to the natural reason to exist for a Museum and let's go inside to enjoy the art that is exposed there, instead of walking around it, trying to get all the pictures possible of every angle of the building!

The outside shape, in my opinion, should be determined by the inside needs, not the opposite!

Thank you for reading!

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