1929-
Architect

Cheapscape Architect.

Frank Gehry's radical and unusual style is not easily defined, although he has long referred to the past, borrowing from both Eastern and Western architectural traditions, and is usually ranked as a postmodernist. His ties to minimalist and conceptual art are apparent, as well. He blends architecture with qualities of art and sculpture, creating playful homes and buildings that push the limits of design. He is especially known for his use of inexpensive and unusual building materials, coining his own term for this style: "cheapscape architecture." One of his goals is to create a look of incompletion. This unfinished, minimalist quality, coupled with materials such as metal panels, plywood, and chain-link fences, often gives his buildings the look of industrial structures rather than the homes and museums that they in fact are. Although Gehry works in an avant-garde, and even antiarchitectural...