zlacker

I grew up a few blocks from his funky Santa Monica house [1], passed by it all the time. When you’re a kid you typically see wild new things like that as just normal because you have no context for how unusual they are. His house defied that perspective; even as a kid you understand that being wrapped in oddly angled chain link fences and corrugated metal is just... different. It's an unanswered question, a loose thread, a thing you can't unknow.

I don't particularly like the house - it's meant to be challenging not beautiful - but with perspective I see now there aren't many creations out there that achieve existence in eternal confusion like it does for me. I see his other works like Bilbao [2] and Disney Hall as refinements on the concept with the added dimension of beauty. They're not quite as memorable, but I think do a great job exploring the frontier of beauty and befuddlement.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gehry_Residence

[2] especially the aerial perspective https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guggenheim_Museum_Bilbao#/medi...

>>npunt+(OP)
I saw him speak about that house and at that time he was having a really hard time living in the suburban mindset. He wanted to offend.

I’m jealous that you knew it so well and as just another house.

>>npunt+(OP)
I don't have much to say about the focus of your comment, but I do want to talk about this:

"When you’re a kid you typically see wild new things like that as just normal because you have no context for how unusual they are."

NOT TRUE! I remember then (and even now) looking at unique things in awe and amazement, rather than something normal or ordinary.

Just what I think :)

>>npunt+(OP)
The MoPoP in seattle also carries his aesthetic, I would say it's funky, not beautiful

>>npunt+(OP)
The Santa Monica spot was, personally, a bit of an eye-sore after about 8 years. I kept wishing someone else would rise to the flamboyance, but nobody ever really did. Well, I'm wrong of course, but I never did see such a striking spot until I got to Europe, or whatever ..

>>npunt+(OP)
For nonarchitects like me, Gehry pushed more than cognitive envelopes, he was also an early tech pioneer

https://blog.bluebeam.com/gehry-technologies-industry-influe...

>>detour+I
> He wanted to offend.

Sounds like a lot of architects these days.