Walt Disney Concert Hall

After visiting San Francisco and Cosa Mesa (Orange County), I travelled to downtown Los Angeles, where I stayed right around the corner from Frank Gehry's awesome Walt Disney Concert Hall.

This amazing building is something which I could not have prepared myself for. After watching 'Sketches of Frank Gehry' nearly two years ago, I was inspired by his unorthadox architecture and creative approach to public buildings. He is a master of his field and I have a lot of respect for him. To see a Gehry building in reality is a wonderful experience. I stumbled across it whilst trying to find LA's MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art). I believe it must be viewed several times, at varying times of day in order to see it in as many lights as possible. I only visited twice due to my limited stay, but it left a lasting impression.

On the plane on the way back to England, several weeks later, I was subjected to the awful Steve Carrel film, 'Get Smart'. The end segment of the film is set in Gehry's concert hall and even though the film was cringe worthy, seeing the building shot by a Hollywood film crew, brought back great memories.

You can walk up and around the building, through the converging planes of silver sheets. The space is clever and exploring it is a joy. Inside there is a bar made from thick glass layers. It's a must see for those in LA.

Sketches Of Frank Gehry

I saw this documentary film about a year ago. It was shown to me by my tutor at the time, Connie Hwang of the University Of Florida, Graphic Design program. It truly left its mark and has been an inspiration to me ever since. Directed and narrated by Sydney Pollock, it takes you on a voyage into Gehry's life, his stunning architecture and the way he creates such breathtaking buildings.

What I find most intriguing about Gehry's work is the human connection that he has with a building. He personalises it so intensely, with an innate feel of what will work and what will not. The faith that he holds in his own judgement has led him to create such buildings as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and the Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, USA to name but a few.

The films real focus is upon the transition from his sketches: mere scribbles on the paper, to fantastic works of art, which some say can be threatening to artists wanting to exhibit their work in his buildings. I really admire Gehry's involvement in all projects and how he is not afraid to fail. Yet he often does. Critiques are never too easy on Gehry's buildings and they often cause a stir in the public eye. But this film has reinforced my already admirable view of a talented and hard working man. His wisdom and patients come through in the documentary and make him my number one modern architect.