Product Description

A stunning 600-page survey of an architectural genius' building designs.

Frank 0. Gehry is one of the world's most innovative and acclaimed architects, with an active career spanning nearly four decades. His heart-stopping designs can be seen across the globe, and while the buildings' functions vary, all share Gehry's signature elements: ingenious manipulations of light, shadow and geometry.

This exciting retrospective of Gehry's work is the first published in more than a decade and features hundreds of superb full-color photographs illustrating a selection of of the architect's most important designs. Five introductory essays detail his inventive use of cutting-edge technology and diverse materials, and his mastery of light, form and sculpture. Informative chapters come together with striking photographs to reveal the precision and poise of Gehry's buildings.

The selected projects range from the architect's tentative start in Los Angeles to his most famous commissions worldwide. They include:

• Edgemar Project (Santa Monica)
• American Center (Paris)
• Vila Olimpica (Barcelona)
• Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles)
• Goldstein Housing (Frankfurt)
• Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao)
• Pa riser Platz 3 (Berlin)
• Richard B. Bard Fisher Center (Bard College, New York State)
• Maggie's Centre (Dundee, Scotland)
• Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavillion (Chicago).

There are also photographs of Gehry's furniture designs plus discussions of his preferred materials and specific features: windows, metal, wood and natural light. Stimulating text and images by premier architectural photographers provide exclusive insight into one of the most creative minds in architecture.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #375512 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 600 pages

Review
Mere words cannot capture the grandeur of Gehry's creations. It is the wealth of photographs that carry the book. (Grand Magazine 20081001)

So prolific and innovative is Gehry that, like a poet, he merits a selected-works volume... this is a magnificent book. (Donna Seaman Booklist 20080110)

A stellar collection... the photographs are spectacular [and] will keep you coming back again and again. (Sheila Brady CanWest News Servicee 20071231)

A lavishly illustrated retrospective of his stellar contributions to architecture. (Sheldon Kirshner The Canadian Jewish News 20080701)

A stellar collection ...

Recommended for public libraries with architecture and photography collections. (Valerie Nye, College of Santa Fe, New Mexico Library Journal )

A stellar collection of photographs of [Gehry's] masterpiece buildings ... Spectacular... [They] will keep you coming back again and again. (Sheila Brady, Homes Editor The Ottawa Citizen )

Hundreds of gorgeous colour photographs illustrate his ouevre...more than justifying the adulation of the Canadian-born master. (Jennifer David Canadian House & Home )

This retrospective analysis of Gehry's work captures the architect's nuances. (Metalmag )

About the Author

Casey C. M. Mathewson studied architecture in Oregon and Stuttgart. In 1988 he founded mab -- mathewson architektur berlin -- an institute devoted to building and research in architecture. He is the author of XXsmallHouses and Beach Houses.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Form, Function, Sculpture

In the 1960s, when Frank Gehry decided to leave the rigidity of then dominant late modernism behind, nobody, least of all the architect himself, could know where the path would lead.

Rather than accepting the drab conventionality of the architectural marketplace, Gehry seeks creative dialogue with artists. The work of people like painter Mark Rothko, whose paintings are abstract yet deeply spiritual, convinced him that architecture can do more than fulfill mere pragmatic functions.

He uses the artist's devices, especially the sculptor's, to imbue his buildings with a holistic depth that never derails into rigidity. His is an architecture that elevates the chaos, fast-lane superficiality and eternal sunshine of his hometown, Los Angeles, to poetry.

With the demise of postmodernism in the early 1990s, Gehry offered an alternative. By rejuvenating the guiding paradigms of modernism, he shows that the long-dead believed principle "form follows function" can be interpreted in a myriad of new ways. Additionally, Gehry skillfully uses new technologies to realize expressionistic forms that allow the visionary utopian visions of early modernism to become reality.

Armed with ebullient yet uncompromising creativity, Gehry continues his ceaseless search for new solutions. As such, this book documents the inquisitive exploration of an architect for whom "architecture is an obsession."

Customer Reviews

extremely dissappointing book.
I anxiously waited for this book to come out, as a Gehry fan this book promised to be the perfect addition to my large collection of Gehry publications.
Never have I been so dissapointed. There printing quality is horrible, the photography is average, there is no indication of Gehry's working process (models) and worse of all, there are no drawings or a single Gehry sketch. the only thing close to a plan or a section are these awful collage like images which do no justice to the spaces Gehry creates. This book is not recommeneded for anyone who wants to understand his buildings. If you want to look at the pictures, its great, yet you will notice repetition of several pictures over and over through out the book. perhaps taking the effort to place an actual plan would have helped. there are key projects in his career, as is the case of his house. In order to understand Gehry's work you will need to purchase other books, so buying this books is really a waste.
It has the potential to being a GREAT book, and one that covers all his projects, but it just fell short. I do appreciate in contrast to Francesco Dal Co.'s "Frank Gehry: The Complete Works" the immense amount of photographs yet, they appear as snapshots and do not do justice at capturing the essence of the space.

If you are a true Gehry fan, you will buy the book, but be warned, you will be extremely dissappointed. If you are trying to learn about Gehry, there are far better publications out there, and this book is not it.

A great book
I am totally opposed to the other review of this book - if you are a Gehry fan or just a fan of architecture this book is hugely inspiring and a really great experience. But I must advice the potential buyer to read the title of the book: Selected works 1969 to today. This book has never promised to be a Complete works, it is nothing more than a selection of some of Mr. Gehrys works and since the book comes with a massive 600 pages the works selected for the book is very much covered in detail, with the top priority given to photographs, which are all excellent.
Another great feature with this book is its size: It comes in a strong hardcover in a very handy format, so you can read it at the table, on the couch or take it to bed - and still manage it, unlike many large and exclusive architecture books!!
I will recommend this book to all with just a slight interest in architecture and Mr. Gehry - I feel sure you will be satisfied.

24 designs copiously illustrated in color
The editorial, graphical (layout, composition of pages, typeface selection), printing, and paper quality are excellent. Each of 24 projects or categories of design is described on just 2 pages and the rest are beautiful photos - way over 1000 of them on all 600 pages. Each building is delineated by very schematic plan and section or two plans giving the layout idea for a train eye, but maybe not for everyone.
Not all the photos are strictly architectural - showing the whole architectural space visible from their point of taking - but there are enough of them best possible. It is slightly less technical and more album-like than the Architectural Monographs (No) series (or their present equivalent) published by Wiley-Academy (formerly Academy Editions / St. Martin's Press or Rizzoli), but still a well sized, lovely and copiously illustrated in color survey of selected (best and characteristic) works (projects) of one of the most important architect at a basement price that gives a quite good idea of his achievements magnitude, range and diversity.
This book will make an excellent present for almost everyone.