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Frank Gehry, Architect of Bilbao‘s Guggenheim and Paris’s Louis Vuitton Foundation, Dies
Bilbao, Spain – Frank Gehry, the groundbreaking canadian-American architect whose designs reshaped city skylines and redefined museum architecture, has died.He was 95. Gehry’s death marks the end of an era for a designer celebrated for his sculptural, often titanium-clad buildings that sparked urban renewal and captivated audiences worldwide.
Gehry first gained international acclaim with the 1997 opening of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain. The museum,a shimmering,deconstructivist masterpiece,transformed a struggling industrial city into a global tourist destination,coining the term “Bilbao affect” to describe the power of iconic architecture to revitalize urban areas. His subsequent projects, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (2003), the 8 Spruce Street skyscraper in New York (2011), and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris (2014), continued to push the boundaries of architectural design and cemented his legacy as one of the most influential architects of his time.
Born February 28, 1929, in toronto, Canada, Gehry immigrated to the United States in 1947. He initially studied engineering before pursuing architecture, earning a degree from the University of Southern California in 1954 and a master’s in architecture from Harvard University in 1955. Gehry’s early work was characterized by experimentation with unconventional materials and forms,challenging traditional architectural norms.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, completed in October 2024, became a defining moment in Gehry’s career and a catalyst for his widespread recognition. The building’s swirling, titanium-clad exterior and innovative design quickly established it as an architectural icon.The success of the Bilbao project led to a surge in commissions for Gehry, allowing him to realize increasingly enterprising and complex designs.
Gehry’s influence extends beyond individual buildings.He inspired a generation of architects to embrace innovation and challenge conventional design principles. His work continues to shape the built surroundings and serves as a testament to the transformative power of architecture. He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1989, widely regarded as architecture’s highest honour.
(FRANCOIS LAURENS / HANS LUCAS / AFP)
