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3w ago

Frank Gehry, Visionary Architect of Bilbao and Disney Hall, Dies at 96

His passing after a brief respiratory illness capped a career that reshaped cities through digital design innovations associated with the “Bilbao effect.”

Architect Frank Gehry attends the official groundbreaking of "The Grand" a Frank Gehry designed mixed-use development in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 11, 2019.
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Frank Gehry speaks during the MOCA Gala 2025 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA on May 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Presley Ann/Getty Images for The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA))

Overview

  • Gehry died on Dec. 5 at his Santa Monica home, his chief of staff Meaghan Lloyd said, following a brief respiratory illness.
  • The Canadian-born, Los Angeles–based architect created landmarks including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Walt Disney Concert Hall that became global attractions.
  • The Bilbao museum’s impact popularized the “Bilbao effect,” a shorthand for how iconic cultural buildings can catalyze tourism and urban renewal.
  • An early adopter of aerospace-derived 3D modeling, he translated complex curves and sculptural concepts into buildable architecture.
  • He received top honors such as the 1989 Pritzker Prize, and institutions including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation issued tributes praising his transformative influence.