Frank Gehry is a Canadian-born architect known for his modern, sculptural designs using reflective materials. He studied architecture at USC and founded Gehry Partners in 2001. His style is part of the deconstructivist movement, and he is known for going beyond traditional design. His famous projects include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA.
World-renowned architect Frank Owen Gehry was born Ephraim Owen Goldberg on February 28, 1929. He was born in Toronto, Canada but would move to California as a teenager. Gehry is best known for his modern approach to architecture, which favors sculptural design and shiny, reflective materials. His designs are often sinuous, almost undulating, and although his materials are cold metal, Gehry manages to add life to his buildings.
Gehry had been drawing since he was a child, making models from scraps. His name was changed to Gehry by his family when he moved to California at age 17. He studied at Los Angeles City College and the University of Southern California, majoring in architecture. After a stint in the military, Gehry was enrolled in an urban planning program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design but didn’t finish.
Establishing his first architectural firm in 1962, Gehry founded Gehry Partners, LLP in 2001. He has been prolific, designing projects around the world. Gehry is widely respected for his consistent ability to be on time and within budget. According to the architect, “the organization of the artist” is the primary key to success. Furthermore, he draws up a very specific estimate that outlines the costs and relies on three-dimensional IT tools and closely monitors his subcontractors.
While some may call Gehry’s design style tortured, others revel in freestyle, abstract, and imaginative. His style is considered part of the deconstructivist school, also called the Santa Monica school of architectural design. DeCon, as it’s called, is a movement that seeks inspiration beyond the mere function to which so many architects limit their design.
Gehry’s designs continue to go outside the box by ignoring common and traditional beliefs about how buildings should be designed and how they should function. Many detractors say his buildings are impractical and overpowering to the senses and surroundings. Whether one likes or dislikes his buildings, they are sure to get a response from any viewer.
Bilbao, Spain’s Guggenheim Museum, which is plated in titanium and was built in 1997, is perhaps one of Gehry’s most famous projects. He has designed homes, offices, schools, condominiums and museums, as well as designing a line of furniture and clocks. Among his impressive list of projects are the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California; Disney Village in Paris, France; the University of Toledo Center for the Visual Arts, Ohio; and the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington.
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