Architect Frank Gehry, designer of Bilbao’s Guggenheim, dies
The Canadian has died at the age of 96 at his home in Santa Monica, California.
Frank Gehry, the world-renowned architect celebrated for reshaping modern architecture with bold, sculptural designs, died Friday at his home in Santa Monica, California, following a brief respiratory illness. He was 96, his chief of staff confirmed to The New York Times.
From Canada to California
Born in Toronto on February 28, 1929, Gehry moved with his family to California in 1947 and later became a US citizen. He graduated in architecture in 1954 and began his career at Victor Gruen’s studio.
After serving in the military, he studied urban planning at Harvard before returning to Gruen’s office. In 1961, Gehry moved to Paris with his wife and two daughters, working with André Rémondet for a year.
By 1962, he had established his own Los Angeles firm, Frank O. Gehry and Associates, which would become the launchpad for a career spanning more than five decades across America, Europe, and Asia.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and its constellation of museums mourn the loss of Frank Gehry, whose visionary architecture reshaped our institution and changed cities around the world.
— Guggenheim New York (@Guggenheim) December 5, 2025
From Bilbao to Abu Dhabi, Frank’s genius magnified the Guggenheim’s mission and showed… pic.twitter.com/9erTVY4TMu
Sculptural forms and deconstructivism
Gehry rose to prominence in the 1970s with buildings that fused unconventional industrial materials—like titanium and glass—into striking sculptural forms. By the late 1980s, his name had become synonymous with deconstructivism, a movement defined by fragmentation and non-linear design processes that produced visually dramatic structures.
Among his most iconic works:
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (1997), a landmark that transformed the city into a global cultural destination.
- Dancing House in Prague (1996).
- California Aerospace Museum (1984).
- Vitra Design Museum in Germany (1989).
- Frederick Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis (1993).
- DZ Bank building in Berlin (1998).
- Gehry Tower in Hannover (2001).
- Stata Center at MIT (2003).
- Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (2003).
- Maggie’s Centre in Dundee, Scotland (2003).
In Spain, Gehry also created the shimmering Golden Fish sculpture on Barcelona’s waterfront and designed the Marqués de Riscal Winery in Elciego, Álava.
🖤 Athletic is deeply saddened by the passing of Frank Gehry, the architect of the Guggenheim Museum who put Bilbao on the world map.
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) December 6, 2025
Rest in peace, Frank.#AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/7pV4EybcYh
A career honored worldwide
Over his lifetime, Gehry received more than 100 awards, including:
- The Pritzker Prize (1989), architecture’s highest honor.
- The National Medal of Arts (1998).
- The Praemium Imperiale (Japan, 1992).
- The Wolf Prize in Arts (Israel, 1992).
- The Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects (1999).
- The Royal Gold Medal for Architecture (2000), awarded by Queen Elizabeth II.
He also served on the jury of the Pritzker Prize and was a member of prestigious institutions such as the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Design.
A lasting legacy
Frank Gehry’s daring vision redefined skylines and challenged conventional notions of architecture. From Bilbao to Los Angeles, his buildings remain cultural icons—testaments to a career that blended artistry, innovation, and audacity.
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