Frank Gehry

Date of Birth: February 28, 1929

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: (As of the knowledge cutoff in 2023, Frank Gehry is still alive)

Biography

Frank Owen Gehry, born Frank Owen Goldberg, is a renowned Canadian-American architect celebrated for his postmodern designs that often feature unconventional forms and innovative materials. He was born on February 28, 1929, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Gehry moved to Los Angeles in 1947, where he eventually studied architecture at the University of Southern California and city planning at Harvard University. His early career involved working in various architectural firms, before establishing his own practice in 1962, which later became Gehry Partners, LLP. Gehry’s groundbreaking work began gaining significant attention in the 1970s and 1980s, with projects like his own Santa Monica residence and the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. His international acclaim was solidified with the completion of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, in 1997, a project that has been widely praised for its innovative design and transformative impact on the city. Throughout his career, Gehry has been known for his use of bold, sculptural forms, often incorporating new and unconventional materials. His notable works include the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Dancing House in Prague, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.

5 Interesting Facts about Frank Gehry

1. Frank Gehry’s original surname was Goldberg, which he changed to Gehry in 1954 to avoid anti-Semitic discrimination.

2. Gehry won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1989, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of architecture.

3. His design for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is credited with revitalizing the city’s economy and is known as the “Bilbao Effect.”

4. Gehry designed the iconic fish sculpture in Barcelona for the 1992 Summer Olympics, symbolizing the city’s maritime heritage.

5. He has been granted numerous honorary degrees and awards from institutions around the world, acknowledging his contributions to the field of architecture.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Frank Gehry

1. “Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.”

2. “98% of what gets built today is pure shit. There’s no sense of design, no respect for humanity or for anything else.”

3. “People ask me if I’m an artist or an architect. But I’m both.”

4. “I don’t know why people hire architects and then tell them what to do.”

5. “Your best work is your expression of yourself.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Frank Gehry’s highest net worth achieved is estimated to be around $100 million.

Children

Frank Gehry has two children from his first marriage to Anita Snyder: a son named Alejandro Gehry, who is a sculptor and artist, and a daughter named Brina Gehry.