The Wright Restaurant

In celebration of one of the most iconic architectural designs in history, the Guggenheim Museum’s 50th year was commemorated with the grand opening of its latest addition, the Wright Restaurant. An homage to the architectural great who designed the museum’s signature helix ramp-way that wraps itself around the interior, the restaurant blends in seamlessly with the philosophy of Frank Lloyd Wright.

As much as it takes from Frank Lloyd Wright, the restaurant actually defies some of the original sketches of the famed architect. Restaurant designer Andre Kikoski quickly realized that the blueprints weren’t suitable for contemporary sensibilities; it didn’t integrate the art and idea of social interaction.

Kikoski decided to advance the idea of the corkscrew by using lines, shapes, and colors within the restaurant room to continue the feeling of movement from the museum outside.

Artist Liam Gillick was given the task to create a site-specific work that needed to reflect Guggeheim’s and Wright’s geometric sensibilities so that the museum’s natural aura continued into the restaurant. Giving the room a sense of speed and progression, Gillick fashioned a series of short, orange, yellow, blue, and white tangents that line the main wall of the restaurant.

Placed horizontally on top of the white Corian that smoothly wraps itself around the wall, it combines to create an astonishing effect that moves depending upon your point of view. The long white Corian stretches out from the walls over the ceiling, draping the room elegantly, offsetting the rapidity of Gillicks’ colorful stripes.

The restaurant itself boasts a contemporary American menu by chef Rodolfo Contreras, protégé of the famed David Bouley, starring signature dished like scallops in sea urchin sauce. After all, a restaurant cannot survive on the delicacy of design alone.

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by Henry Guyer
Gloobbi Architecture

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