ABSTRACT
One of Iht most idiosyncratic architects of this century was Frank Lloyd Wright. He was of that select group who must have direct access to a transcendental source of inspiration, the charismatic school of architects. It was entirely consistent with his character that he rarely produced buildings to fit into an urban context, but always designed in a self-expressive manner. At times the result was successful, as with the Guggenheim Foundation Museum in New York. The basic geometrical concept is of an inverted diminishing helix. This solved the problem of creating a continuous gallery on a restricted site; a characteristically ingenious solution. It is a comparatively small building, set among a totally undistinguished forest of offices. Its cylindrical form offers blessed relief from the prevailing tyranny of the right-angle. There is also an elegance about it which raises the tone of a wider sector of urban space. In this case Wright was fully justified in creating an architecture of total contrast. Instead of being just routine cityscape, the undistinguished otlice blocks now become a foil to the Guggenheim Museum. They have been given status through their relationship with this little tour de force of architectural expression. <italic>Guggenheim Museum, New York</italic> https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203717332/a71f8122-c693-488b-b4ec-23a698e8b4d3/content/fig00152_B.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> <italic>Knights of Columbus Building, New Haven, Connecticul</italic> https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203717332/a71f8122-c693-488b-b4ec-23a698e8b4d3/content/fig00153_B.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> <italic>Royal College of Physicians, Regent's Park. London</italic> https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203717332/a71f8122-c693-488b-b4ec-23a698e8b4d3/content/fig00154_B.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
