Frank Gehry, whose designs defied gravity and convention, dies at 96

"Swooping, swirling, gleaming, sculpted Frank Gehry made buildings we'd never seen before. The architect behind the Guggenheim Museum in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles transformed contemporary architecture. He died Friday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., after a brief respiratory illness, according to his chief of staff. He was 96. Gehry won all the top awards including the Pritzker Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom."

"He was probably the only truly great artist I've ever encountered who desperately cared what people thought of him and that people loved his work," says Gehry's biographer Paul Goldberger. The architect got his share of criticism "accusations that he made crazy shapes and paid no attention to budget." But the praise was louder, because his striking buildings made people happy."

Frank Gehry created exuberant, sculptural buildings that redefined contemporary architecture, including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Gehry's work combined sweeping, swirling forms and gleaming surfaces to produce joyful, experiential spaces for music, performance, and public engagement. His designs attracted widespread praise, public affection, and major honors such as the Pritzker Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, while also drawing criticism about unconventional shapes and budget concerns. Gehry valued public response and optimism in architecture. He died at age 96 after a brief respiratory illness.

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