Building for humans.

Cinémathèque Franḉais, March 2018, Paris.

Standing in front of the Cinémathèque Franḉais, I realize that I am finally seeing one of Frank Gehry's buildings up close and in person. While certainly not the most well known of his works (see:  Guggenheim Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall Los Angeles, Weisman Art Museum Minneapolis, and Dancing House Prague), it features the multi-faceted flow of form that comes to signify a Gehry creation. And it reminds me of why I respect this artist so much.

​Gehry reduces every shape to a movement. It is very primitive, almost like being in a womb. You see the start and the end, and when you step back you see the big picture:  from birth to the larger life. 

There is a transparency to his buildings. You are always looking through glazed surfaces to the internal structure, and it is very revealing. It doesn't hide much. It is honest in its depth. You see its purpose and how it all ties together, and it is beautiful. 

At the same time, I also see how his architecture can be superfluous and unnecessary. With all the curving surfaces, there is a lot of material used up. In a way, its efficiency becomes inefficient. 
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Detail of Guggenheim Bilbao. Image courtesy of ArchDaily.

But the reason I appreciate his art the most is that I can relate to who he is as an artist/architect/creator. He strives for simplicity by utilizing organic forms and shows you how they are held in balance with one another. He designs buildings for people, like a well-fitted piece of clothing. Not buildings just to be buildings. His buildings serve the humans. 
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​Enjoy this short film recently produced by Nowness, where Frank Gehry discusses his more recent Parisian work, the Fondation Louis Vuitton. ​