Renowned Toronto-Born Architect Frank Gehry, Dead at 96

NEWS PERSONALITIES
December 5, 2025 by Anthony Teles 507

Renowned Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry has died at the age of 96

Frank Gehry, the Toronto-born architect whose sculptural buildings transformed cities from Bilbao to Los Angeles, has died at his home in Santa Monica at the age of 96. His office confirmed the news after a brief respiratory illness. Gehry is widely considered one of the most influential designers of his generation and leaves behind a global body of work. His legacy includes two of Toronto's most significant cultural projects: the Art Gallery of Ontario's AGO transformation and the under-construction Forma Towers.

Frank Gehry in 2012 speaking to social media after a presentation by Forma (formerly Mirvish+Gehry), image by Jack Landau

Gehry was born Frank Owen Goldberg in Toronto in 1929. He came to architecture indirectly, first studying ceramics at the University of Southern California, before changing disciplines when a mentor introduced him to the work of Raphael Soriano. In 1962 he opened his own practice.

Art Gallery of Ontario, with the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery under construction in the background, depiction of Play-Time, courtesy of Art Gallery of Ontario, Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects and Two Row Architect

Gehry's international reputation was cemented with the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Several large orders followed. These include the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Dancing House in Prague as well as the Vitra Design Museum in Germany. Later projects included the New World Center in Miami, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris and the undulating facade of 8 Spruce Street in New York.

Looking southeast at Forma designed by Gehry Partners for Great Gulf, Dream Unlimited and Westdale Properties

Forma is Gehry's most ambitious Canadian commission and a rare opportunity for Toronto to host one of his large-scale residential structures. The two-tower, 73- and 84-story project at King Street and Duncan Street, respectively, for Great Gulf, Dream Unlimited and Westdale Properties, brings its sculptural sensibility to the skyline through a combination of reflective curtain walls and folded stainless steel panels. On the east tower, already under construction, the cladding alternates between smooth glazing and faceted metal surfaces, creating a cascading “waterfall” effect as light moves across the facade. When completed, the West Tower will be the tallest residential building designed by Gehry.

Forma's East Tower, image by Skycandy, UrbanToronto forum contributor

Gehry's return to Toronto came through the “Transformation AGO” gallery expansion, completed in 2008, which restructured the century-old Art Gallery of Ontario into a more coherent whole after decades of gradual, labyrinthine expansions. The redesign introduced the 600-foot-long Galleria Italia along Dundas Street, a striking glass and wood canopy that realigned the entrance sequence and oriented the building toward the city. Inside, a sculptural staircase and new skylight bodies connected the previously fragmented wings, while a four-story southern extension overlooking Grange Park expanded the gallery and event space with custom titanium and glass panels.

Art Gallery of Ontario, image by Flonicky, UrbanToronto Forum contributor

Gehry remained professionally active. His team just completed a 1,000-seat concert hall for the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles. In Beverly Hills he completed an 82,000 ft² Louis Vuitton flagship for Bernard Arnault, while a separate Paris commission involved converting a 1960s building into an exhibition and events venue.

For seven decades, Gehry expanded the possibilities of architectural forms and questioned conventions. His projects consistently demonstrated how architecture can shape civic identity, inspire cultural investment, and resonate emotionally with audiences around the world.

Frank Gehry in 2012 speaking to social media after a presentation by Forma (formerly Mirvish+Gehry), image by Jack Landau

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