To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, LEGO is releasing a Guggenheim Museum kit as a tribute to the modern American master; the Wright-envisioned museum, which opened in 1959, is now hailed as his masterpiece.
Born on June 8, 1867, Frank Lloyd Wright is widely considered the greatest architect of the 20th century for his organic and distinctly American style. In 1943, Wright began his design for the Guggenheim Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in New York City, his labour of love which consumed the last 16 years of his life. Wright passed away on April 9, 1959, at the age 91, just six months before the Guggenheim opened its doors. He would have enjoyed knowing that the museum, with its spectacular spiralling galleries, has become one of his best-loved buildings.
The 744-piece LEGO set features the museum’s circular concrete rotunda, the 8-story limestone tower added by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects in 1992 (based on Wright’s original sketches), as well as the distinctive lettering on the facade. It also comes with a section of Fifth Avenue in front and completed with two New York City’s signature yellow cabs.
Priced at $79.99, the LEGO set is available to order here.
Meanwhile, the Guggenheim Museum is also honouring Wright with a range of activities in the month of June, including architecture-specific tours of the museum and family programs. Be sure to pay a visit to the museum if you are in town. Details can be found here.
