Architect to Architect: My Friend Frank Gehry

"He often gave me excellent advice. When I was having a crisis with a collaborator on the Kauffman Center -specifically around the acoustics and engineering challenges of creating a truly in-the-round concert hall-he said to me, "You're working with the wrong person. You need to work with [acoustician Yasuhisa] Toyota." He was right. That advice opened doors and ultimately made it possible for me to realize the scheme I'd envisioned."

"His legacy as a builder cannot be overstated. He was proud-rightly-that he was not simply a form-maker. He cared deeply about how a building works and performs, and about how it gets built. He went so far as to invent the methodology that enabled his structures to be constructed. The software he developed allowed him to translate a sketch into something that contractors could fabricate-a direct line from concept to computer to manufacturer. My own office later adopted CATIA, an adaptation of that software, and it was invaluable on projects such as the Kauffman Center."

"Of course, I visited his Santa Monica house many times over the years. To me, I must admit, it was a very strange house. I like comfort and elegance and particular materials. But of course the house became a cult object-so widely appreciated in a way I couldn't quite grasp. It had impact, undeniably."

He provided decisive professional advice during a Kauffman Center crisis, recommending acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, which enabled realization of the in-the-round concert hall scheme. His legacy centers on building performance and constructability rather than mere form-making. He developed methodologies and software that translated sketches into manufacturable components, creating a direct workflow from concept to contractor fabrication; that software lineage influenced adoption of CATIA in other offices. His Santa Monica house became a widely admired cult object despite personal tastes. He and peers shared memorable moments, and his declining health curtailed a final planned visit months before his passing.

Read at Architectural Digest