Frank Gehry in his youth. (1)
About him
Frank Gehry was born in Toronto, Canada on 1929. He has a sister, Sadie, and they were both raised by there parents and there grandparents. A creative child, he was encouraged by his grandmother, he would build little cities out of scraps of wood. With these scraps from her husband's hardware store, she entertained him for hours, building imaginary houses and cities on the living room floor. He would also spend time drawing with his father, while his mother introduced him to the world of art. "So the creative genes were there", Gehry says.
The Marques de Riscal winery.
This building took three years to complete, and was finished on May 2003, in Rioja Spain. (2)
Why his style?
Gehry sees the world as a collision of thoughts represented through buildings, music, and art that is not properly expressed through the simplicity of the neat, clean squares of modernism. According to Gehry, the mission of an architect is clear: "To design something that one would want to be a part of, something one would want to visit and enjoy in an attempt to improve one's quality of life."
The Walt Disney Concert Hall.
It took 16 years to complete. It officially opened on October 2003, in California. (3)
People's reactions
Most people were in awe seeing Gehry's buildings for the first time. His buildings were very inspiring to other people. Sayings like, "Absolutely stunning and gastronomic experience. Amazing design, great, and large" and, "Mythical and beautiful!"
The Louis Vuitton Foundation.
It took eight years to complete and opened on October 2014, in Paris France. (4)
Movements
Gehry's style is considered deconstructivist, a movement in postmodern architecture where elements of the design appear to be fragmented; they are often described as chaotic or disjointed. A lot of people supported him and his work but did not necessarily persue what he did in their own way.