“Dazzled by the promise of the Bilbao effect, dozens of cities court the attentions of the Guggenheim every year, hoping to become the next pearl in its necklace. The latest Gehry-designed titanium behemoth is planned to open in Abu Dhabi in 2017. But not all have been successful. Franchises in Las Vegas, Berlin, Salzburg, Vilnius, Guadalajara, Rio de Janeiro and lower Manhattan have all been cancelled or closed down. And, as New York urbanist and Next Helsinki juror Andrew Ross warns, these aspiring cultural capitals should be careful what they wish for.”
Read the whole story here: Helsinki v Guggenheim: the backlash against the global megabrand is on | Art and design | The Guardian.