Celebrating the Works of Frank Gehry

Many architects will be well aware of the famous works by Mr. Gehry, who, despite turning 90 earlier this year, still works at his Los Angeles office six days a week. A trailblazer in contemporary architecture, Frank Gehry rose to fame for buildings such as the Guggenheim Museum, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Prague’s Dancing House.

One of the most celebrated architects of our era, many of his works have a similar – yet undefinable – signature style, using sweeping expanses of curved forms that defy gravity. Mr. Gehry’s hallmark is his ability to continuously experiment with forms without adhering to any one style or movement. Yet despite having clear roots in modernism, Mr. Gehry appears to avoid being stereotyped and using modernist stylistic tropes. Deconstructivism also features heavily in his designs and he is known for using non-traditional media to create his masterpieces, with fish being a recurrent motif.

Let’s revisit some of the most famous and amazing buildings designed by this modest and creative architect.

Gehry Residence, Santa Monica, USA

One of Mr. Gehry’s first iconic buildings, which attracted much attention when it was first built in 1978 and was awarded the Twenty-Five Year Award in 2012 from the American Institute of Architects.

Olympic Fish Pavilion, Barcelona, Spain

Made from golden-hued steel mesh, the fish sculpture of the Barcelona Olympic Village in 1992 was unlike anything made by Mr. Gehry before, who had used 3D aeronautical design software to create the design.

The Dancing House, Prague, Czech Republic

Home to the Dutch insurance company Nationale-Nederlanden, this building was designed to look like a dancing couple and is sometimes called Fred and Ginger.

Neuer Zollhof, Dusseldorf, Germany

Completed in 1999, this trio of three iconic buildings helped transform Dusseldorf’s waterfront (now called Media Harbour) and are now a landmark of the area.

The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

Designed to follow the contours of the nearby Nervión river, this architectural marvel features monolithic stone designs, sweeping curves of titanium, and vast glass windows. When it opened in 1997, it propelled Mr. Gehry into worldwide architectural fame.

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, USA

Originally designed around 1988, the concert hall – which features wide expanses of stainless steel reminiscent of ship sails – opened in 2003.

Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Chicago, USA

This bandshell was originally much less modern, initially designed by another architect using a more traditional approach. Eventually re-designed by Mr. Gehry, the bandshell features a fixed seating area, a lawn, a trellis network that supports the sound system, and a modern stainless-steel façade on the stage itself.

MARTa Herford, Herford, Germany

The dynamic waves of the roof of MARTa Herford reflect those of the nearby River Aa, while the red brick contrasts with the stainless-steel roof and white plaster. Built around a former textile factory, this museum is just one of the many works of art in this area.

Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, USA

(As shown in the first image of this post.) This steel-clad structure appears to almost melt inwards in dynamic, reality bending shapes, which hosts a medical center, research facility, event space and office building.