Fresh Air Remembering Architect Frank Gehry
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Dec 12, 2025 
Frank Gehry, the iconic architect known for his sculptural buildings, reflects on his design voice and the innovative materials he chooses, like titanium for the Guggenheim. Raul Malo, the eclectic lead singer of The Mavericks, shares his experiences blending Cuban heritage with country music and the vibrant Miami club scene. Film critic Justin Chang dives into Rian Johnson's 'Wake Up Dead Man,' examining its intriguing themes and genre-blending storytelling. It's a captivating mix of architecture, music, and cinema!
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Architecture That Feels Alive
- Frank Gehry wanted to express movement and human feeling within modernist aesthetics rather than decorate or imitate past styles.
- He found a vocabulary of flowing forms that made inert buildings read as if they moved when you looked away and back.
The Accidental Fish Language
- Gehry began experimenting with fish forms and even built a 35-foot wooden fish that taught him how to abstract movement into architecture.
- By cutting and simplifying the fish he developed an abstract fillet form that retained the sense of motion and became his design language.
Iterate Models Before Choosing Materials
- Gehry models dozens of physical forms, analyzes them with computers for structural and budget constraints, then decides on an exterior skin.
- He recommends evolving shapes through iterative models and technical analysis before selecting materials like steel or titanium.
