Case Study - Frank Gehry

 

Frank Owen Gehry was born in 1929 in Canada. He was a creative child and his interest of architecture developed from playing with scraps of wood and other off-cuts. Both his mother and father introduced him to the world of art. He is now working and living in Los Angeles as a world-renowned architect.

Gehry has established the Frank O. Gehry and Associates firm, where he is the Design Principle. He is also a famed professor of Architecture at the well-known Columbia University. Apart from doing that, Gehry teaches advanced design at the Yale School of Architecture.

After moving to California, Gehry attended the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture and received his Bachelor of Architecture degree, since then, Gehry has assembled an architectural portfolio that boasts buildings, both public and private in America, Asia and Europe.

Frank Gehry’s buildings are seen as worldwide tourist attractions. ‘These buildings are referred to as the most important works of contemporary architecture in the 2010 World Architecture Survey. In 2004 the fashion empire, Vanity Fair, labelled Frank Gehry as "the most important architect of our age".’[1]

‘There have been as few American architects who have expressed the chaos that can be seen in the creative process that goes into one of Frank Gehry’s designs. His design style, as well as the appearance of his buildings, have been said to be fragmented, and the use of sometimes violent forms that have found place in his designs over the last 50 years have seemingly been able to capture the whole range of human experience.’[2]

The Guggenheim Museum in, Spain, the Stata centre in Massachusetts and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles are only a few examples of Gehry’s most recognized work.

Frank Gehry is known to be an artist who forms deep emotional bonds with the buildings that he designs. The first building that Gehry was commissioned to design was the Guggenheim Museum in Spain. He explains this specific design experience as being a ‘bizarre kind of self-reckoning, a voyage through his own subconscious, while discovering the ideal façade of the building.’[3]

The way that Gehry designed the Guggenheim Museum is in a somewhat chaotic fashion. Although disorderly, this design and concept is seen as one of his most subtle and confident designs. The glass façade imitates an idea of a crystal ship. This building is a great example of how to bring a solid, mature building to life.

‘Many of the buildings that Gehry has designed in his career fall within the style of Deconstructivesm. This seemingly unheard style of was referred to as being post-structuralist in nature as the style had the ability to go beyond what was current in the form of ideas of structural definition.

Within the art of architecture, Deconstructivism tends to shift away from the set ideas of Modernism such as societal goals and functional necessity. Because of this shift in ideas and design theories of the time, Deconstruct buildings are not required to reflect specific social or universal ideas such as the universality the a form should have, and designers of this time did not reflect on the belief that form should follow function.’[4]

There have been critics who claim that all of Gehry’s buildings, as well as his designs for other art practices are of similar style. Gehry has replied to this statement by saying that he has defined his style as an artist and has, over the four decade of being an architect, stayed true to his design principles.

‘Gehry has stated the reason for the similarity in his work, he says;” The easiest way for me to relate this is by way of music.  When you hear a Beatles or a Rolling Stones tune you are aware immediately who the artist is, in the same respect, when you see one of my buildings, the same is generally true.  Is that such a bad thing?”’[5]

From 1977 onwards Gehry has won numerous awards for his amazing work as an architect. In 1989, he was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize. This is an award that gives praise to an architect ‘who’s built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.’[6]

To the media, Gehry is seen as a “Starchitect” which is a modern architectural icon and celebrity. Gehry has made a name for himself in the design world, as well as on TV. He appeared on Apple’s "Think Different" advertising campaign. He also appeared in the animation, The Simpsons. In the episode, Gehry  parodied himself  as a designer as well as his design ideas. In 2009, Gehry designed a hat for pop star Lady Gaga, by using the applications on his iPhone.

Other than architecture, Gehry has designed furniture, jewellery as well as household items and sculptures. His first line of furniture, which was produced from 1969–1973, was called “Easy Edges”, and the whole range was constructed out of cardboard.

Another design field that he has embarked on is household lamps. Gehry worked closely with the BELUX Company. Together they designed a collection of lamps which is available for mass production. They gave the collection of lamps the name “Cloud”, which suggests the poetic nature of these designs.

‘The practice of architecture is defined as rendering services which require the application of the art, science, and aesthetics of design and construction of buildings, groups of buildings, including their components and accessories and the spaces around them wherein the safeguarding of life, health, property, and public welfare is concerned.’[7]

I feel that taking this into consideration, Frank Gehry has, throughout his career as an architect, successfully applied these ideas and services and has taught the world a new way of not only looking at buildings but the design process as a whole.

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Frank_Gehry_buildings

[4] http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Frank_Gehry.html

[5] http://www.foga.com/

[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry

[7] http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Frank_Gehry.html

Bibliography

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Frank_Gehry_buildings
• http://www.foga.com/
• http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Frank_Gehry.html
• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/frank-gehry/sketches-of-frank-gehry/602/
• http://www.sonyclassics.com/sketchesoffrankgehry/