Frank Owen Gehry

Who is your hero? Give a name and brief description.

My personal hero is Frank Gehry. He was born on February 28, 1929 in Toronto, Canada. His architectural designs are regarded around the world. He attended the University of Southern California, where he received his Bachelor in Architecture degree, and got his Masters in Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He owns his own architecture firm and designs buildings all over the world.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall Downtown Los Angeles The physical model of Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall. Photo courtesy of Frank O. Gehry & Associates

How does the time in history influence the idea of what a hero should be?

Frank Gehry has experienced and seen many different styles and trends throughout his life and it has helped him develop his own unique, but sophisticated, version of designing.

How does this hero contribute to society?

Gehry has designed more than fifty commercial buildings and residences throughout the United States and the world, including the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, the Disney Ice Rink in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Children’s Museum, the California Aerospace Museum, and the Yale Psychiatric Institute, just to name a few. He also renovated the famous Hollywood Bowl by adding fiberglass spheres which hang from the bowl’s shell to upgrade the sound of the acoustics.

What values does this hero represent?

In a way, Frank Gehry represents determination, ingenuity, and individuality. He has developed many different designs that are not generally seen every day. His designs are his own and are not copies of other people’s work. In 1989, he received the prestigious Pritzker Prize in Architecture for his work.

What impressed you most about this particular hero?

I am mostly impressed by Gehry’s style of design and the fact that he has produced so many things including buildings and furniture. As a future architect, I would only hope to develop the skills to design as well as him.