THE SILENCE OF REPRESENTATION: THE LOSS OF SPATIAL IDENTITY IN THE DIGITAL INTERFACE OF THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO

The concept of representation in architecture does not merely convey the physical presence of a building; it also reproduces its sensory, aesthetic, and conceptual depth. However, in the digital age, this representational power of space often becomes a reduced experience when transferred to a two-dimensional screen surface. This study discusses the incompatibility between the artistic identity of physical space and its representation on the digital interface, using Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, an iconic example of the deconstructivist approach. Gehry's architectural language, based on fragmented geometries, fluid forms, and surfaces that constantly change with light, is met with a static visual layout and linear navigation on the museum's website. The article aims to reveal the impact of this representational rupture at both the visual and experiential levels. Using a qualitative visual analysis method, the study compares the museum's physical circulation structure and spatial atmosphere with the design dynamics of its website; it then proposes possible design strategies that could translate Gehry's style into the digital environment. The findings show that the digital interface should not only be an information platform but also a representational space that continues the poetics of the space. Ultimately, the study emphasizes that representation in contemporary museum design is not merely an aesthetic issue but a conceptual tool that enables the holistic transmission of the architectural experience.