The Passing of Frank O. Gehry

The President, the Director General, the Head of the Historical Archive, the Board of Directors, and the entirety of La Biennale di Venezia recall with profound esteem and sincere affection Frank O. Gehry (28 February 1929, Toronto, Canada – 5 December 2025, Santa Monica, California), an undisputed master of contemporary architecture and a revolutionary figure who has left an indelible mark on design culture internationally.

In 2008, upon the recommendation of the Director of the Architecture Department, Aaron Betsky, he was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, a recognition celebrating not only the exceptional quality of his works but also the visionary power of a mind capable of inspiring generations of architects, artists, and citizens.

To his family, collaborators, and all those who have found in his work an inexhaustible source of wonder and inspiration, La Biennale di Venezia extends its deepest condolences.

Gehry’s life, marked by inexhaustible creativity, lucid humour, and rare human sensitivity, redefined the relationship between form, space, and material, radically transforming the way the world perceives architecture and its evocative power. He brought the avant-garde artistic culture of the West Coast to the world—with its dreams, excesses, rebellions, and shadows—translating its spirit into a freely expressive and profoundly innovative architectural language.

The bond between Gehry and La Biennale di Venezia dates to 1980 when, invited by Paolo Portoghesi to the 1st International Architecture Exhibition, he participated in the celebrated Strada Novissima, contributing to one of the foundational moments of the postmodern debate. Even then, his voice was distinguished by independence, boldness, and the ability to challenge conventions, opening new imaginative horizons and confirming the experimental vocation that would accompany his entire career.

Among the numerous international awards, he received throughout his career, the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1989—the highest honour in the field of architecture—stands out, cementing his role as an innovator and a central figure in contemporary architecture.

Among his iconic projects, which have redefined the identity of entire cities while constantly balancing stability and imbalance, are the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, a manifesto of deconstructivism and a symbol of urban transformation; the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, with its fluid and dynamic metallic surfaces; and the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, unfolding delicate glass sails within the Bois de Boulogne. In Prague, the Dancing House represents a pivotal chapter in his dialogue with historic context: a wave sweeping across the façade, culminating in two towers—one solid, “Ginger,” and one glass, “Fred”—performing a dance upon the banks of the Vltava River, establishing a poetic and critical relationship between memory and contemporaneity.

His legacy will continue to live on in the cities he transformed, in the museums he animated, and in the courage he instilled in those who believe that architecture can still surprise us.