In brief
Influential architect Frank Gehry, who has died at the age of 96, is celebrated for his avant-garde and deconstructivist architectural style. His notable works include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, which boosted local tourism and economy, and various iconic buildings worldwide. Survived by his family, Gehry's legacy endures through his unique contributions to architecture.
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 further study at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1956 and 1957.
After starting his own firm, he broke from traditional architectural principles of symmetry, using unconventional geometric shapes and unfinished materials in a style now known as deconstructivism.
Through blending unexpected materials and sheathing buildings in stainless steel to create curvy exteriors, Gehry created buildings that took on arresting sculptural shapes.
Later in his career, Gehry used 3D modelling similar to that used by aerospace engineers to shape windy buildings, a practice largely avoided by other architects because of the complexity and costliness of construction.
In 1989, at the age of 60, Gehry was awarded the industry's top accolade, the Pritzker Architecture prize, for lifetime achievement.
The Pritzker jury said his work possessed a highly refined, sophisticated and adventurous aesthetic.
Architect Philip Johnson, Gehry's American contemporary, described the Guggenheim as the greatest building of our time. Subsequently, cities sought to replicate its success, termed the Bilbao effect, highlighting how investment in daring architectural designs can revitalize economies.
His work in Bilbao propelled him into high demand, leading to iconic structures worldwide, including the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.
Gehry also designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, layered in metal resembling sails billowing in the wind.
Paul Goldberger, author of Building Art: The Life and Work of Frank Gehry, noted his dedication to his craft, saying, He was one of the very few architects of our time to engage people emotionally. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed condolences to Gehry's family and admirers globally.
Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum honored Gehry's legacy with a video tribute, expressing deep gratitude for his indelible impact and connection to the city.
