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The Architect as Artist: Frank O. Gehry

Widely recognized as one of the most accomplished and inventive architects practicing today, Frank Gehry (b. 1929) is best known for landmark architectural works such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the highly acclaimed Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles which opened in October 2003.

Frank O. Gehry: Work in Progress at The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) at California Plaza (250 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles) in 2003 showed highlights of the architect's unique design process through an examination of his firm's latest projects and commissions.

Focusing on 10-12 projects, the exhibition traced the evolution of Gehry Partners' recent work from inception to final design.

Organized by MOCA Architecture and Design Curator Brooke Hodge, Frank O. Gehry: Work in Progress featured the original sketches, computer-generated architectural drawings, new photography, sample materials, and architectural models of varying scales-from rough study models to refined final design models-that are created for every project.

In recent years, Gehry has been awarded the large-scale cultural projects that have come to define his career and that are highly coveted in the architectural world. Utilizing CATIA, the computer software program developed for the French aerospace industry, Gehry was able to execute the complex and innovative forms of projects like the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

The exhibition featured additional projects that examine Gehry's process and his use of advanced structural materials and techniques. One gallery will be devoted to skyscraper projects in New York City and will include over 20 study models for his design for the Astor Place Hotel as well as study models completed as part of the firm's competition entry for The New York Times' new building.

A major feature of the exhibition was a large-scale sculptural element designed by Gehry Partners especially for this presentation.

Background of the Architect

Born in Toronto, Canada in 1929, Frank Gehry moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1947, at the age of 17. Gehry received his bachelor of architecture degree from the University of Southern California in 1954, studied city planning at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and opened his first office in 1962 in Los Angeles, where he continues to live and practice. Today, Gehry Partners' office in Los Angeles employs over 120 people.

More about Frank Gehry around the Web:

Frank Gehry Image Tour

Frank Gehry - Pritzker Architecture Prize

Frank O. Gehry, The Architect's Studio