As Archinect reported last week, iconic Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry has passed away at 96. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Gehry reshaped the possibilities of architectural form, becoming a household name far beyond architectural circles.
In the aftermath of Gehry’s death, tributes have been made to the architect from across the design world, including from high-profile architects and studios, from notable institutions, and from academia. Below, we have provided a snapshot of the global reactions.
It’s with profound sadness that we have learned of the passing of Frank Gehry, who the AP aptly describes as “the most celebrated architect of his time” thanks to his distinctive style and his influence on architecture the world over. We consider ourselves privileged to have had the opportunity to work with Frank and his firm on several projects, acting as Executive Architect or Architect of Record on Gehry-designed museums, corporate headquarters, and groundbreaking residential buildings.
It feels like yesterday when I stumbled across this issue of Domus Magazine while an undergrad in Canada, A Toronto boy on the cover of Domus moving the needle in LA. That clinched it with TO behind me I too headed south .. but the east coast resonated better.. RIP Frank O , a force of nature!
Frank Gehry was a liberating force in the evolution of architecture in our time. His exploration of sculptural forms and spaces was accompanied by equal passion for responding to a building’s program and for the methodology of its construction. His contribution was as much as in how to build as it was what one might build. His influence extended to the entire profession, no matter what one’s architectural persuasions might have been.
He was my friend for over fifty years. We shared difficult times and good times. He was a courageous architect. I knew him in the early days when his work was doubted, when he was ridiculed, well before he was celebrated for the genius that he was. He never stopped exploring, his quest was constant, forever reinventing. He was a loyal friend. I loved him dearly.
RIP Frank Gehry, the architect whose work, more than that of any other single figure save perhaps Carey McWilliams or Esther McCoy, allowed me to understand Los Angeles: its sensibility, its foibles, its looseness, and its potential.
One of the most celebrated architects in Los Angeles – and world – history, has passed away. Frank Gehry, who reshaped L.A.’s skyline and redefined its architecture, not only brought L.A. worldwide renown, but helped burnish L.A.’s reputation as global design capital.
RIP Frank Gehry. An extraordinary mind and a restless maker. Grateful for the years of collaboration and everything he taught us. It’s been a privilege to work with him and to exhibit in two of his museums over the years. He will be missed.
With heartfelt sorrow, we mourn the passing of Frank Gehry (1929-2025), 1989 Laureate, visionary and friend. His built works conveyed an audacious vitality, a rare technical virtuosity, and endless imagination, revealing a profound optimism through sculptural form.
We are heartbroken as we say goodbye to Frank Gehry. Frank’s maverick imagination gave shape to the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Beckmen YOLA Center in Inglewood, as well as inventive onstage collaborations with the LA Phil. Among Frank’s many gifts was his understanding of the human spirit and his ability to create spaces that inspire and build community. We are forever grateful for his friendship and the opportunity to share in his creativity. Our hearts are with his family, friends, and everyone his life touched.
Today the architecture community lost one of its true greats: Frank Gehry, FAIA, has passed away at age 96 at his home in Santa Monica, CA. Much ink has and will be spilled on Gehry’s enduring influence—he remained an innovator and industry leader up until his final days, designing some of the world’s most iconic and joyful buildings. Among his most recognizable projects are the Vitra Design Museum in Germany (1989), the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain (1993), the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA (2003), and Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris (2014). Closer to the Center for Architecture, 8 Spruce Street (2011), also known as New York by Gehry, is a distinctive, 76-story residential skyscraper in Lower Manhattan, famous for its wavy, stainless-steel facade.
We are saddened by the passing of architect Frank Gehry, who was the world’s most famous living architect. The Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner became a household name after revitalizing the city of Bilbao with his Guggenheim Bilbao Museum and gained international renown for the Gehry Tower in Germany (2001), the whimsical Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (2003) and the glassy Fondation Louis Vuitton museum in Paris (2014).
The Getty community grieves the death of Frank Gehry, a true legend of architecture whose designs and brilliance have shaped Los Angeles and the world. In 2017, Getty was honored to be chosen as the owner and steward of a portion of Gehry’s extensive archive, focusing on the era from the beginning of his career in 1954 until he received the Pritzker Prize in 1989, which includes thousands of drawings, models, and sketches. It is by far the largest architectural archive in Getty’s collection. In 2023, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Getty presented Modeling Sound, an exhibition that included six original models of the building, as well as Sculpting Harmony, an online exploration of the concert hall’s design. For years before acquiring the archives, Getty enjoyed a close relationship with Gehry, who served on the Design Advisory Committee for the Getty Center in the 1990s and who received the Getty Medal in 2015. Through Gehry’s archive, Getty will share his legacy for many years to come. Great as he was as an architect, Frank Gehry was even greater as a friend and person — generous, hilarious, eternally playful. We join the world in mourning this enormous loss.
American Institute of Architects
Today, we mourn the loss of a visionary. Frank Gehry, FAIA, an AIA Gold Medal winner, redefined architecture, transforming buildings into works of art that inspire and uplift. Several of his iconic projects were also honored with the prestigious AIA Twenty-five Year Award, a testament to their enduring impact on our profession and culture. His courage to challenge tradition shaped skylines and minds alike, setting a new standard for creativity in our field. Frank’s legacy lives on in every architect he inspires and every city forever changed by his work.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of architect Frank Gehry, whose visionary 1983 renovation of MOCA’s building in Little Tokyo created The Temporary Contemporary—now The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA—the museum’s first home, which has ignited the imaginations of artists and catalyzed many of MOCA’s most audacious exhibitions for 40+ years. Reconceiving the 55,000 square foot former Union Hardware warehouse as a space for art through adaptive reuse, Gehry not only changed the course of museum architecture, he redefined what a museum could be and do. His artist-centered approach marked one of the earliest industrial conversions for a contemporary art museum, strategically preserving the building’s history and raw character while opening vast new possibilities for ambitious, risk-taking work. A close friend to artists, Gehry’s design became a benchmark for many and remains a space of visionary innovation and experimentation as evidenced by our current exhibition, MONUMENTS.
We are deeply saddened to share the news of the death of Frank O. Gehry, one of the most influential architects of our time. Through bold imagination and a fearless rethinking of form, Gehry transformed skylines and expanded the possibilities of architecture. Gehry’s connection to the National Building Museum spans decades. In 1988, the Museum presented Sheet Metal Craftsmanship: Progress in Building, temporarily installing two Gehry-designed structures in the West Court of the Great Hall. The original concept sketch and working foamcore model of the work were subsequently donated to the Museum’s permanent collection.
Southern California Institute of Architecture
In memory of Frank O. Gehry, renowned architect and YSoA visiting professor. Gehry regularly taught at the Yale School of Architecture as a visiting faculty member since 1979, most recently teaching an advanced design studio in 2022. It has been an honor to learn from him.
University of Southern California
We honor the life and legacy of alumnus Frank Gehry ’54 (1929–2025). A visionary whose work spanned more than six decades, Frank changed the face of architecture with iconic public and private spaces around the world. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, colleagues, and to the global design community touched by his brilliance. His work will continue to inspire future generations of architects.
UCLA School of Architecture and Urban Design
We are deeply saddened by news of Frank Gehry’s passing. He fundamentally reshaped architecture for UCLA, for Los Angeles, and for the world. His influence on generations of architects and designers is immeasurable, and his legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come. UCLA Arts and UCLA AUD extend our condolences to his family, colleagues, and the design community.
Harvard Graduate School of Design