How Frank Gehry went from Dirty Harry to Pritzker Prize

"He may not have lived to see his $1 billion-plus vision to upgrade the Los Angeles River come to fruition, but architect Frank Gehry was able to shepherd through a transformational plan that is slated to reimagine one of the West Coast's most underused natural features. He's done almost everything you can possibly do as an architect, Bill Witte, head of Related Companies' California arm,"

"Though not the building he will be most remembered for which is likely the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain Gehry put Los Angeles on the global stage with his innovative Walt Disney Concert Hall. Completed in 2003, the Downtown L.A. cultural destination, home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is notably punctuated by stainless steel sail-like forms. A tourist destination, tours are offered at the site almost daily."

"Gehry is also responsible for a myriad of other projects like The Grand LA, Related California's two-tower, mixed-used development across from the Disney Concert Hall; and Panama City's Biomuseo. A contemporary icon, Gehry was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. He moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1947, and changed his name to Gehry from Goldberg for professional purposes as he faced anti-Semitism."

Frank Gehry died Friday in Santa Monica at age 96. He led a transformational, billion-dollar-plus plan to upgrade the Los Angeles River intended to reimagine an underused natural feature. He personally designed every project completed by his firm, Gehry Partners, and remained involved with numerous projects at the time of his death. Gehry put Los Angeles on the global stage with the Walt Disney Concert Hall, completed in 2003, noted for stainless steel sail-like forms and hosting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He also designed projects including The Grand LA and Panama City's Biomuseo. Born in Toronto, he moved to Los Angeles in 1947, changed his surname from Goldberg amid anti-Semitism, studied architecture at USC, served a year in the U.S. Army in 1955, studied urban planning at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, and worked for firms including Victor Gruen Associates and Pereira and Luckman Associates.

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