Frank Gehry, one of the most influential architects of the last century, has died aged 96. Gehry was acclaimed for his avant-garde, experimental style of architecture. His titanium-covered design of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, catapulted him to fame in 1997.
His breakthrough in the architectural world came years earlier when he redesigned his own home in Santa Monica, California, using materials like chain-link fencing, plywood, and corrugated steel. His death was confirmed by his chief of staff Meaghan Lloyd. He is survived by two daughters from his first marriage, Leslie and Brina, as well as his wife, Berta Isabel Aguilera, and their two sons, Alejandro and Samuel.
Born in Toronto in 1929, Gehry moved to Los Angeles as a teenager to study architecture at the University of Southern California before completing his studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1956 and 1957. After starting his own firm, he broke from traditional architectural principles, using unconventional geometric shapes and unfinished materials in a style now known as deconstructivism.
In 1989, at the age of 60, Gehry was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize for lifetime achievement. His work on the Guggenheim transformed the city of Bilbao, boosting tourism and the local economy. Gehry's designs continued to evolve, utilizing advanced technology and creating buildings that challenged conventional architecture.
Throughout his career, Gehry designed many iconic structures across the globe, including the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago, the Gehry Tower in Germany, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. His unpredictable style resulted in a collection of diverse buildings that have left a lasting mark on modern architecture. Tributes celebrate his ability to engage audiences emotionally and his relentless push to innovate within the field.
His breakthrough in the architectural world came years earlier when he redesigned his own home in Santa Monica, California, using materials like chain-link fencing, plywood, and corrugated steel. His death was confirmed by his chief of staff Meaghan Lloyd. He is survived by two daughters from his first marriage, Leslie and Brina, as well as his wife, Berta Isabel Aguilera, and their two sons, Alejandro and Samuel.
Born in Toronto in 1929, Gehry moved to Los Angeles as a teenager to study architecture at the University of Southern California before completing his studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1956 and 1957. After starting his own firm, he broke from traditional architectural principles, using unconventional geometric shapes and unfinished materials in a style now known as deconstructivism.
In 1989, at the age of 60, Gehry was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize for lifetime achievement. His work on the Guggenheim transformed the city of Bilbao, boosting tourism and the local economy. Gehry's designs continued to evolve, utilizing advanced technology and creating buildings that challenged conventional architecture.
Throughout his career, Gehry designed many iconic structures across the globe, including the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago, the Gehry Tower in Germany, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. His unpredictable style resulted in a collection of diverse buildings that have left a lasting mark on modern architecture. Tributes celebrate his ability to engage audiences emotionally and his relentless push to innovate within the field.
