Modern elements in Getty Center
Architectural design is a very technical process. The skilled draftsman makes the drawings. The concept of the building is a product of human imagination, drawn on the paper and transferred from paper to the buildings. While I studied the Getty Center, I understood Meier's great vision and ideas, and it become clear to me that he is the best architect living in our time. Richard Meier does not make a copy of ancient architecture, but by a very creative method changes to contemporary architecture the different architectural elements. Getty Center has a extraordinary structure, made of opposite elements, such as classical versus modern, solid and heavy versus light and transparent. I agree with many critics, for example: Rykvert or Framton, with their opinions(1). His works become the most significant architectural achievement in our century.
During my continuing research on Getty Center, I made many local visits. I studied the Center at different periods of the day. I read a lot of books written on this subject. I made a comparable analysis with similar buildings in Rome and London during my study travels, which helped me to understand the project and the background. The Getty Center was built over several years and opened in 1997, on the top of the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles. The location on the top of the hill was the most important decision. When I saw for the first time the Getty Center on the top of the hill I was fascinated by Richard Meir's concept, which I have associated with the Acropolis.
ACROPOLIS, was built in ancient times in Athens, Greece. The Greeks built a sacred city on top of a hill, for religious celebrations (2). In the Greek language acropolis means "city on the top of the hill". In this place they constructed temples for the gods: the Parthenon for Athene, the Erechtheum for Athene Polias, and the little temple for Athene Nike "Victorious". The Acropolis was a center of religion, philosophy and art. The entrance to the sacred city was embraced by two monumental buildings Pinacotheace and Glyptotheace. In the first building there were painting exhibitions and in the second was a collection of sculptures and engraved stones. All this information I found in a wonderful book by Mr. Rhodes, Acropolis. Similarly, Richard Meier in a concept inspired by the Acropolis made the Getty Museum, an art place for painting and sculpture. In his sense, the Getty Center is the modern Acropolis opened for culture(3). Meier had a strong desire to bring many elements from ancient Greek and Roman architecture to his project such as columns, amphitheater, atrium, and others.
COLUMNS, AMPHITHEATER, ATRIUM, FOUNTAINS, and LIMESTONE
Travertine, was incorporated in Meier's dreams. Limestone was the main building material in ancient Rome. This stone was used to build the Coliseum in Rome, Fontana Di Trevi, and many ancient buildings. To better understand Meier's project it will be necessary to introduce the readers to the subjects of ancient architecture; to show the Greek and Roman temples, Greek columns, and details.
COLUMNS are the basic structure for Greek and Roman temples. On the columns were built heavy triangular roofs with sharp angles. Richard Meir used the columns to support the buildings. The column was the Greek's invention, a very beautiful architectural element. They were made in different style: Doric, Jonic, and Corinthian(4). Each style is defined by the type of column's capital. The column has great significance in European architecture. Throughout the centuries columns were used in thousands of monumental buildings, churches, museums, capitols, and private residencies all over the world and it flourished in the nineteenth century in America. Richard Meier used them to support the West Pavilion. He used Doric style in his project, and made them simple, of steel or concrete to give classical proportions.
PROPORTIONS were achieved by balance and harmony and give the building a perfect look. Richard Meier paid great attention to proportions. In my observation, he carefully used the same classical proportion on the facades. They have the same scale as the classical temples, a scale 1:2. Dedicated to the gods, the temples had to be perfect. The length of the building was a little more than double its width. The Hera Temple, made from limestone, at the Paestum in Italy had such proportions. The Parthenom was made from pentelic marble. So, the Greeks obtained mathematical perfection. In the Getty, marble and semimarble cut in 60x60 inches was used for the purpose of perfection. The temples were symmetrical. In the Getty Center, perfection was achieved by using modern technology; materials like steel, aluminum, concrete and glass. Every building in the Center was finished perfectly from the large amphitheater to the smallest details.
The AMPHITHEATER, is included in Richard Meier's complex but it is not easily visible(5). Such an edifice was built in each big ancient city in Greece and in the Roman Empire. They had the most important function for religion, culture, custom, sport and patriotic demonstrations. The Amphitheater in the Gety Center was designed close to the entrance hall and next to stairways and a fountain. The seats in the amphitheater were built on straight rows, instead of a circular pattern. In the Greek structures the scene was circular, and in the Getty Center it is rectangular. The entrance hall was built on the cylindrical structure that is similar to the Pantheon in Rome with a dome. According to Tansey, the author of the book, Art thorough the Ages, Pantheon is 144 feet in diameter. The temple, "is one of the best preserved and most influential building in the history of architecture"(6). In the dome was the oculus, 30 feet in diameter. Richard Meier used in the main hall similar proportions, dimensions, and general shapes. Instead of the full walls in Roman architecture, he used tracery walls. The hall has an entrance to the museum court. The museum court is based on the ancient idea of the atrium.
The ATRIUM, is a place where people could take a rest, breathe fresh air, and relax. The Atrium in ancient times was the most important part of every Greek and Roman house. It was the place for the family gatherings. The huge atrium in the museum is designed as a place where the social and community life blossoms, and where a lot of the tourists from all around the world come.
The classical elements are not the only ones which are present in Meier's creativity. He is regarded as a continuator of the Corbusier School. The relation between Meier's works and European trends can be studied in the book written by Curtis(8). The school was founded by Le Corbusier, a Swiss architect. The founder of the school developed a very unique and characteristic style. This style was raw, organic, and repetitious in forms. All buildings were designed for human proportions. According to human dimension, Corbusier invented the modulor.
The MODULOR clearly shows in all Richard Meier's works(9). He used modulors to cut the stones in 60” x 60” as was mentioned before, and made the panels the same dimension for all other materials, made of stones and aluminum panels, for the floors and the walls. The Modulor is one of the prominent tools which became used by architects applying International Style.
INTERNATIONAL STYLE is explained in the book edited by John Zukowsky, under the title, Chicago Architecture (10). Richard Meier is included in the group of architects including Peter Behrens, Walter Gropius, and many others who created the International Style (10). The innovator of the International Style was Walter Gropius (1883 - 1969) (11). He designed the Bauhaus School buildings, which are made of: steel, concrete, and glass(12). These buildings have many new characteristic elements such as flat roofs, structural frames, and others.
FLAT ROOFS, STRUCTURAL FRAMES, VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL
LINES, OPEN SPACES and TRANSPARENCY, are elements that clearly have defined the character of modern international style. The same principles and elements of the International Style are in the architecture of Richard Meier. The modern proportions of Bauhaus buildings and antique harmony, fascinated the architect of the Getty Center. The Bauhaus became a source of inspiration for him. This new style can be seen in the Administration Building, in the Conservation Building, in entrances, station coverings, general proportions, and the shapes of the windows and steps. Open spaces, transparency, and abstract forms, are also modern elements which are found in the Get Conservation Institute, (East Building), Information Institute, (North Building) and Auditorium, all of which are designed in the International Style. The Conservation Institute is composed of many different levels, which are placed in a vertical sequence, each on top of the others. The aluminum walls make the first level run around the building. Then, the level of glass windows appears. The walls and windows run vertically around the building to the roof. The roof is flat.
Richard Meter operated with three elements texture, line and colors. The walls are made from square aluminum panels. The squares are the main motif in Crosier's architecture. The lines are a motif from Gropius. The lines are horizontal and vertical. The color is white and creamy. All these characteristics belong clearly to the Getty Center. In the Center, the modern elements such as abstract forms are very conscious of steel, aluminum and glass.
To find the connection between the classical and modern is very complex. The modern style is a reaction to the classical style. The problem of classical versus modern was analyzed by Doremus in his book under the title, Classical Style in Modern Architecture.
The primary distinction in contemporary architecture is between what may be termed the classical and the modern. By "classical" is meant the collection of styles that aspire to the material shapes and forms of ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and that have been codified through archeological study and theoretical writing. The term modern has, in the thirties century, come to denote a highly sophisticated, intellectual interpretation of architectural form based on human perception of three dimensional space and emphasizing the technology of its construction.(13)
In conclusion, I would like to make several remarks, according to the knowledge received by this very particular research paper. For example the classical temples are symmetrical, but modern buildings do not necessarily have to be symmetrical. Richard Meier has developed a very unique method of solving problem architectural problem by applying a balance of forms. In the Getty Center, the modern elements are clearly visible and the classical elements are incorporated into modern buildings. For example:
The CLASSICAL ELEMENTS such as; Acropolis, amphitheater, atrium, and columns are based on ancient ideas and are combined in the Getty Center as cultural monuments of our time.
The MODERN ELEMENTS; Flat roof, open spaces, transparency, abstract forms which are present through advanced technology and materials, are a result of the International Style.
Those elements in Richard Meier's master pieces exist in perfect harmony. In this unification is his greatness. I will place the Getty Center among the most beautiful buildings built in human history: the Opera in Lincoln Center(14) and Michalangelo Plaza Capitolio in Rome (15). In similar way, the two elements of old and new factors can be seen in the Philip Johnson's design the Lincoln Center in New York. The Capitol in Rome created by Michalangelo was designed on the square. The three buildings closed the plaza and the fourth side was open to the city, which gave most beautiful view and a great perspective, of old Rome, where in the middle stood a monument of Marcus Aurelius, Caesar of Rome.
It is worthwhile for everybody to see the Getty Center. Everybody will find something to enjoy. Little children will love to travel by shuttle. Also, most visitors will be happy to see the art. Some of them can just sit on the plaza and enjoy the sun and flowers. The gourmets can go there just to eat delicious food in one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles. The beauty of Meier architecture is universal and can be appreciated at any time and by any culture.
References
Arnason, H., History of Modern Art. Third edition. New York. Abraham Incorporated. (1986).
Curtis, W. J., Le Corbusier: Ideas and Forms. New York: Rizzoli,(1986).
Croix, H., & Tansey, R., Art through the Ages.. Eight edition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanich,(1986).
Doremus, L.T., Classical Styles in Modern Architecture. New York:
Van Nostrand,(1994),
Frampton, K. & Rykwert, J., Richard Meier Architect. New York: Rizzoli,(1991).
Rhodes, F.,R., Architecture and Meaning on the Athenian Acropolis, (1995).
Notes;
1.For Joseph Rykwart, Meier is an outstanding architect who operated with many different forms and elements, which are a part of his architectural language. Rykwart used the phrase a "formal language". The light is very significant of that language. Meier has great ability to change, to transform and simplify the classical elements. The opinions about Meier's works expressed by Professors from Harvard University.... "I have insisted on the continuity and the consistency in Meier's work...... It is a clear demonstration of the other quality which I attribute to him: the capacity to innovate within the very tight and spare formal vocabulary... since antiquity writers on art have demanded that unity, that essential ingredient of beauty, be tempered with variety. To have achieved the intense concentration and the discipline of his consistency". (p.25)J. Rykwert, Richard Meier.
2.The Acropolis was built on top of the mountain above Athens in Greece. The Acropolis was the center for religion, philosophy and art. According to the book Architecture and Meaning, by professor Rhodes. "Acropolis focuses on the architectural complex general considered to be one of the outstanding achievements of Western civilization". (p. 127), (1) Rhodes, Architecture and meaning on the Athenian Acropolis.
3. The same source as above. Quotation. "The Periclean Acropolis is the unique product of specific cultural circumstances, so the art of the later Classical period is product of myriad influences. Of those, one of the most significant is the Priclean Acropolis, and the complex corpus of forms and concepts contained in its architecture as representing a pinnacle of cultural achievement".(p.8) (3) Rhodes, Architecture and meaning on the Atheanian Acropolis.
4. The same sources as above. Quotation... "Doric. The style of monumental architecture developed in the Doric regions of Greece and particularly characteristic of the Greek mainland. Ionic. The style of monumental architecture developed in the eastern Aegean and Asia Minor and particularly characteristic of Ionia. Corintian capital. A bell-shaped capital decorated with carved acanthus leaves and tendrils invented in the later fifth or early fourth century B.C. and used in the context of the Ionic order... " for Meier Doric style has most simple characteristic.
5. The Coliseum is one of the most famous amphitheaters in Rome. (I scrutinized the Coliseum during my travel study in Rom 1982-1983.)
6. The DOMES were Roman inventions. The author studied the Pantheon during 1982 to 1983.
7. According to Tannsley; "Atrium is the court of a Roman house that is near the entrance and partly open to the sky. Also the open colonnaded in front of to attached court to a Christian basilica". The Art throughout the Ages, by B.Jovanich see p. 141-42.
8. Le Corbusier wrote many papers about the Architectural Theory. His most famous book was titled “Modulor”. In this book he explains the system of greed in architectural design and measurement of the projects.
9. Modulor was invented by Le Corbusier, and is used now in architectural practice in every architectural office.
10. International Style is a new terminology in Art and Architecture. See: History of Modern Art, by Arnason.
11. German architect Walter Gropius, working for a while in Chicago had submitted a project for the Chicago Tribune competition . German architects added a powerful "international" component to the city's architecture, preparing the way for enthusiastic adoption of Internationalism in the middle of the twentieth century. Zukowski: Chicago Architecture.
12. Bauhaus became the name of the International Style in Europe. It greatly influenced the style of modern architecture and interiors, and has had influence on Richard Meier. According to Rykvert.
13. The critic Doremus is the author of several publications about art and Architecture.
14. One of the authors of International Style. See: Modern Art; Arnason (p.696-698)
15. Capitol in Rome, author study travel in Italy.
