In 2025, the legendary architect Frank Gehry passed away at his home in Santa Monica at the age of 96, due to a brief respiratory illness. The death of one of the most influential architects over the past six decades marks the end of an architectural era. With his pioneering and innovative design concepts and practices, he thoroughly revolutionized architectural culture and reshaped the world’s understanding of the possibilities of architecture.
Frank Gehry, born Frank Owen Goldberg in Toronto in 1929, founded his own firm in Los Angeles in 1962. Quickly rising to prominence with his highly expressive and avant-garde design approaches, his works boldly challenged traditional notions of architectural form, authorship, and material application, injecting new vitality into the architectural industry.
In 1978, Gehry renovated his own residence in Santa Monica, wrapping a modest bungalow with plywood, corrugated metal, and wire mesh to create an extremely subversive architectural form. This project became a landmark work of early deconstructivist architecture, not only establishing his unique design style but also launching a career defined by adventure, innovation, and critical provocation—qualities that would keep him at the forefront of the latest architecture trend for decades.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, completed in 1997, catapulted Gehry to international fame. Clad in titanium with undulating and graceful contours, this building completely transformed the waterfront landscape of the Basque city, seamlessly integrating emotional power, technological innovation, and urban transformation. Fellow architect Philip Johnson praised it as “the greatest building of our time,” and the “Bilbao Effect” spawned by this project further proved the enormous potential of cultural architecture in driving urban economic recovery and attracting global attention, providing a new paradigm for the development of subsequent cultural buildings.
Throughout his decades-long career, Gehry Partners undertook numerous major global projects, including iconic buildings for Facebook and the LUMA Foundation, as well as the under-construction Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. His influence extended far beyond individual buildings: he helped reshape architectural design software, enabling the precise realization of complex ideas, and rekindled public interest in and affection for contemporary design, inspiring generations of architects to break free from traditional constraints and explore new architectural forms and languages. Classic works such as “Dancing House” all embody his design philosophy of defying conventions and pursuing ultimate creativity.
Gehry leaves behind a profound family and professional legacy. His surviving family members include his wife Berta, sons Sam and Alejandro, daughter Brina, and sister Doreen Gehry Nelson. His daughter Leslie Gehry Brenner, from his previous marriage, passed away in 2008.
As a master who changed the course of architectural history, Frank Gehry spent his life demonstrating that architecture transcends practical functions to possess artistic value and social influence. His works are not only urban landmarks but also spiritual symbols of architectural innovation. His adventurous spirit and critical thinking will continue to shape the development direction of the architectural industry, becoming an enduring design legacy.
