The renowned architect Frank Gehry has died. He was 96 and had suffered from a brief respiratory illness, his chief of staff Meaghan Lloyd told The New York Times. Over the course of his more than 60-year career, Gehry—who was often referred to as a “starchitect”—designed such famous buildings as the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the New World Center in Miami Beach, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain, whose unique structure drew in 1.3 million visitors in its first year, helping to revitalize the city. This success led to what became known as the “Bilbao effect,” as developers around the world invested in innovative new designs to attract more tourists. In 2007, Gehry’s IAC Building, home to the Daily Beast, opened in New York City. Later in his career, Gehry experimented with designs that were more sculptural, including works like the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, and the Dancing House in Prague. In 1989, Gehry won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. “You go into architecture to make the world a better place,” Gehry said in 2012. “A better place to live, to work, whatever. You don’t go into it as an ego trip.” He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Berta Aguilera; daughter Brina Gehry; and sons Alejandro and Sam.
