Over the course of his career, Frank Gehry, who turns 90 today, has become a household name, achieving a level of architectural stardom rivaled by few, if any. Honoring this impressive legacy, Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Architecture recognized Gehry earlier this month with the Richard Neutra Award for Professional Excellence, the school’s annual award which is given to an architect for their dedication to the research and development of new environments in everyday life.
Each year Archinect publishes a conversation between Orhan Ayyüce and the winner of the award. Recent years have included published interviews with Tadao Ando, Guy Nordenson, Enrique Norten, and Carme Pinós.
Presented on February 5th, this year's ceremony included an hour long conversation between Gehry and Ayyüce in front of a packed audience at the Getty Museum. Gehry addressed an array of topics: postmodernism, Los Angeles, apprehensive clients, not photographing his work, turning down Trump as a client, the social side of architecture, and his ascent to stardom.
Ayyüce—an architect himself who has even worked on a few of Gehry’s projects—began the discussion with admirable praise. “For me and for my colleagues, you were responsible for liberating us, liberating architecture…As if architecture was rock ‘n roll, you were the Woodstock for us,” he told Gehry.
For me and for my colleagues, you were responsible for liberating us, liberating architecture…As if architecture was rock ‘n roll, you were the Woodstock for us” - Orhan Ayyüce to Frank Gehry
Clear from the discussion, is the uneasiness with which Gehry finds his role as one of the most iconic and vital architects of today. He admits he is not immune to delighting in praise, but finds its effects on the work process to be dubious. “There is something about being insecure, I call it a healthy insecurity, because if you buy into all that stuff, it is downhill. You gotta stay hungry, you gotta stay searching,” Gehry states early on.
At 90, Gehry’s appetite remains strong. The architect, who still goes to the office six days a week, is currently working on a massive master-plan for the LA river. His long-awaited $1 billion mixed-use complex on Bunker Hill recently broke ground. Nearby, he is designing the expansion for the Colburn School. There are projects planned for both West Hollywood and Santa Monica. And, a youth orchestra facility in Inglewood.
There is something about being insecure, I call it a healthy insecurity, because if you buy into all that stuff, it is downhill. You gotta stay hungry, you gotta stay searching” - Frank Gehry
Those are just the firm’s projects in Los Angeles, a city that has made its mark on Gehry since moving here at the age of 17. For Gehry, architecture came somewhat as a fluke, ending up enrolled in a class at USC after his ceramics professor Glen Lukens noticed his interest during a site visit to his house, being built by Raphael Soriano. During the discussion, he tells of his time at USC and being influenced by iconic Californian architects such as Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler.
He goes on to discuss the the comfort of practicing architecture in a city overshadowed by Hollywood, and turning down an interview from Reyner Banham early on in his career, again showing an ambivalence towards being in the spotlight. On the Los Angeles of today, he says “we have come out under the blanket a lot, but I still think for the rest of the world, LA isn’t what New York is. You can cry in your beer that that’s true, or you can make hay with it and make stuff that the rest of the world, they will only find out about it later.”
Just as his buildings, like the Walt Disney Concert Hall, have become the civic symbols shaping Los Angeles, the city has clearly had a transformative effect on the architect, who, at this stage of success, is increasingly able to give back through pro-bono work on philanthropic projects such as his plan for the LA River.
On the social side, housing, in particular, and the problems associated with high building costs, is a question that remains unanswered for Gehry. “There are probably technological solutions; there are probably ways. I used to explore the idea of separating the shelter part of the building from the mechanical, assuming the mechanical part is already being studied...If you separate them, then the shelter can be anything, and it’s freer.”
This is one of the many arenas the 90 year-old, as of today, invites the next generation of architects to explore. To young students and practitioners, Gehry advises finding one’s niche and staying on that course. He also reminds the audience of the unique lens that architects bring. “You find these things, don’t be reticent to explore them! I think architects have a big role, because the talents you bring.”
“We take inert materials and make feeling,” he adds.
A long-time contributor to Archinect as a senior editor and writing about architecture, urbanism, people, politics, arts, and culture. The featured articles, interviews, news posts, activism, and provocations are published here and on other websites and media. A licensed architect in ...
6 Comments
I’ve always admired Gehry for how human he is. He speaks a language that is common to not just Architects but to any walk of life.
He understands his role as a narrator of our built environment. That’s always at the forefront of who he is.
Whether you like his work or not, that’s another subject initself and frankly like any good art for time to justify.
More importantly, Frank’s responsibility that he’s taken upon himself is to show what’s possible. To be the door that propels thought and an uncanny shameless exploration in Architecture.
I like that Orhan didn’t have a ridged outline for this interview. Maybe the best Gehry interview is not an interview, rather a one on one conversation. This interview reminds me of that.
In the interview they spoke a little about the role of an Architect and that Gehry sometimes doesn’t take jobs on.
I think as Architects we are always cornered to be of service to our clients, sometimes we need to be of service to ourselves.
Maybe some of the best Architects out there are ones that say No. No I will not.
Cheers guys, this was a good one.
Another recent interesting interview with Gehry here:
https://www.theguardian.com/ci...
I like a lot of his work like his house and Bilbao that stand in stark contrast to their context. It's not easy to pull that off, but his boldness has never been in question. Part of his direct approach is he tells you he's trying to make something interesting looking rather than wrapping it in incomprehensible archibabble. Or like when he admitted he turned to fish forms because he was angry at fellow architects who turned to post-modernism at the time, a way of flipping them off.
Certainly one shouldn't work for the bad, but whatever his motivations, I'm not sure rejecting work is a sign of your quality as an architect. Does a hustling architect suddenly become good when they can pick and choose? No.
Thayer-D,
There’s a responsibility that an Architect has, that most overlook, that’s questioning the intent of the Developer.
If his/ her Architecture is going to do just on the land it’s created on and how its going to play out if left to the hands of the owner.
Like his example of saying no you Trump. (Not getting into politics)
So Yes, saying no is a sign of a mature Architect, that’s looking beyond the realm of ejaculating just to ejaculate. Just to see another one of his or her pieces out in this world.
If you want that, there’s enough of stamp Architects out inthis world that are in the business of just. having their work out there without a care in the world what it does. Just to say yeah I built that.
Does that make them a good Architect?
And the middle finger in the air. Is old. It has become a damn soundbite. Can we just get the *uck over it.
sorry about the fast and bold writing. I was using another phone. My bad. :/
Yes, say no to Trump and all criminals all day long. That doesn't make you a great architect, that makes you a smart person with some business sense. What about Zaha's stadium where quasi slave labor was used? And is her work worse architecturally for collaborating with ne'er do wells? Certainly Speer was an awful human being, but weren't Mies and Corb happy to take their money? Plus, imagine getting mad at Pomo for wanting something more interesting than 50 years of minimalism. Throwing some shit on a wall (or napkin) and hope it sticks reminds me of Trump's sell. I'm glad it worked for him and he's pretty good at what he does. I just don't have much respect for his of approach, and his flipping unpleasant questions off seems all of a piece.
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