Architect Drawings : A Selection of Sketches by World Famous Architects Through History

Gehry, Frank (1929)
Process elevation sketches, October 1991, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain, 12.3 9.2in.
Frank Gehry, famous for the dynamic forms of his signature buildings, is probably the most known
and respected architect currently practicing in the United States. Gehry was born in Toronto in
1929 and moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1947. He studied at the University of Southern
California and Harvard University before entering practice in 1962. His office, Gehry Partners,
LLP, is a full service firm with broad international experience in museum, theater, performance,
academic, and commercial projects. A few of his most celebrated include: Guggenheim Museum
Bilbao in Bilbao, Spain; Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington; Nationale-Nederlanden
Building in Prague, Czech Republic; Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angles, California; and the
Vitra International Headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.
Gehry and his architectural work have won awards from international foundations. He won the
Pritzker Prize in 1989, the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture from the American
Academy of Arts and Letters, and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1999. Gehry
commonly uses sketches for first conceptual ideas and throughout his design process. He also depends
on physical models in all scales and ‘CATIA, a highly sophisticated 3-dimensional computer modeling
program originally created for use by the aerospace industry, to thoroughly document designs and to
rationalize the bidding, fabrication, and construction process.’ 10 This program allows him to accurately
model and fabricate the expressive and irregular shapes distinctive of his architecture.
The sketches that Gehry uses to begin his process are fluid and expressive. These sketches have
been included in numerous publications and exhibitions of his work. Although they are private notations,
he is not averse to making public his design process. Many of these first expressions of the
building represent the search for form and volumes as can be viewed in this sketch for the
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (Figure 8.9).
On the page are three freehand sketches rendered in ink on white paper. They appear to be elevation
views since the volumes extend horizontally. Most likely, Gehry was studying the same elevation
because each image displays a similar horizontal wing to the left with a more articulated shape to the
center and right. He was holding the pen lightly as the ink line moved smoothly across the page. In
some areas, it appears that the lines are continuous; Gehry seldom picks the pen up off the surface of
the paper. Similar to a technique from fine art, gesture drawing attempts to capture the essence of the
human form with the buildup of lines describing the interior muscles, not necessarily the exterior
edges. This comparison is fitting, since Gehry’s architecture contains a tremendous amount of internal
energy.
The roof and center shapes seem to be alternatives, with three different approaches. The sketch to
the right exhibits triangular elements on the roof, while the top sketch shows arced pieces and a
stepped façade. The center feature shows aggressive diagonal lines on top of what appears to be openings.
The fast strokes may mean that he was unhappy with the solution and considered eliminating it
as a possibility. They could also suggest that he was shading a part of the façade, to view it more threedimensionally.
The wavy roof-lines show a fluidity that might represent a conceptual theme. Having a
conceptual idea in mind, he was allowing his thoughts to flow, evaluating possible forms as he worked
on each sketch. The exuberance of his style and the quick way he explores form are indicators of his
fresh and expressive architecture.
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