Key Takeaways:
- Frank Gehry was a renowned architect who defined his own idiosyncratic path in the field of architecture.
- He was known for his creative and innovative approach to design, which often incorporated unconventional materials and shapes.
- Gehry’s most famous work is the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which was completed in 1997 and put the city of Bilbao on the map of international tourism and culture.
- He was a complex and multifaceted person, with a passion for hockey and a love of art and architecture.
- Gehry’s career was marked by both successes and failures, including the cancellation of several high-profile projects and the completion of numerous iconic buildings around the world.
Introduction to Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry, the renowned architect, passed away on Friday morning at his home in Los Angeles, leaving behind a legacy of innovative and iconic buildings that have redefined the field of architecture. With a career spanning over 60 years, Gehry was known for his creative and unorthodox approach to design, which often incorporated unconventional materials and shapes. His passion for architecture was evident in his work, and he was widely regarded as one of the most important architects of the last half-century.
Early Life and Career
Gehry was born Frank Owen Goldberg in Toronto, Canada, in 1929, and grew up in a working-class family. His early life was marked by a love of art and architecture, and he spent much of his childhood drawing and building models. After serving in the U.S. Army, Gehry attended the University of Southern California, where he studied architecture and began to develop his unique style. He later changed his name to Gehry, which was closer to his original name in rhythm and appearance.
The Evolution of Gehry’s Style
Gehry’s early work was influenced by the Modernist movement, but he soon began to develop his own unique style, which was characterized by the use of unconventional materials and shapes. His 1964 house and studio for the graphic designer Louis Danziger, for example, featured a collection of rectilinear boxes wrapped in gray stucco. This was a radically simplified and abstracted version of the ordinary Los Angeles building, and it marked the beginning of Gehry’s experimentation with new forms and materials. In the 1970s and 1980s, Gehry became associated with the Postmodern movement, which engaged with history in a playful or ironic manner. However, his work never quite fit into this category, and he continued to develop his own unique style.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
One of Gehry’s most famous works is the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which was completed in 1997. This building was a technical achievement and a deeply personal, aesthetically unorthodox work that put the city of Bilbao on the map of international tourism and culture. The building’s titanium skin shimmers in the daylight, and its curving forms create a sense of movement and energy. The Guggenheim Bilbao was a major turning point in Gehry’s career, and it established him as one of the most important architects of his generation.
Personal Life and Later Career
Gehry was a complex and multifaceted person, with a passion for hockey and a love of art and architecture. He was married twice, first to Anita, and then to Berta Aguilera, with whom he had two sons. Gehry’s later career was marked by both successes and failures, including the cancellation of several high-profile projects and the completion of numerous iconic buildings around the world. One of his notable projects in Canada was the 2008 renovation and addition to the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, which was widely praised by critics. He also made a large mark on Toronto’s downtown skyline with his two-tower project called Forma, which is currently under construction.
Legacy
Frank Gehry’s legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting his innovative and often unconventional approach to architecture. His buildings have redefined the field of architecture, and he will be remembered as one of the most important architects of the last half-century. Despite his passing, Gehry’s work will continue to inspire and influence architects and artists for generations to come. His impact on the city of Toronto, in particular, will be felt for years to come, with his iconic buildings and projects continuing to shape the city’s skyline and cultural landscape. As Larry Wayne Richards, an architect and academic who was Gehry’s host during his visit to the University of Waterloo, recalled, "He was very difficult to categorize… In the end, none of the labels fit, because he was a very individualistic artist in the broadest sense."