Frank O. Gehry

On his trajectory from Southern California’s renegade junk architect to world class stature, Frank O. Gehry has been the focus of countless publications. But it has been almost 10 years since a cumulative edition covering the work of one of the world’s best-known architects has been published. The 21 works presented here range from early architectural designs in Los Angeles, Gehry’s home town, to the major international commissions the Canadian-born architect has built around the globe. Five introductory chapters forcus on the architect’s development from the beginnings in Los Angeles to the present day. Common themes that unite the complete body of work, such as the understanding of architecture as a sculptural object, the use of natural light, building with diverse materials including metal and wood, and the use of cutting-edge computer technology to realize the complex forms are analysed in informative inset chapters. Additionally, Gehry’s four furniture lines designed for Vitra and Knoll International are presented in detailed chapters focussing on his unique work. Full access to the archives of the arur photographic agency in Cologne made this broad overview of Gehry’s oeuvre over a 35-year time span ranging from 1969 – 2006 possible. The striking images by some of the world’s premier architectural photographers open up new angles that reveal unknown sides of this complex work. The concise text supplements the photography with informative descriptions and thoughtful essays that probe deep beyond the flashy surface to provide insight into one of the most creative minds in world architecture today.