Since the opening of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain I have wanted to see something of the work of the most celebrated architect of our times; Frank Gehry. During this past Christmas Season along with my daughter and grandchildren I was privileged to see one of his most important achievements “The Disney Concert Hall” in LA. It was a complete and perfect joy for all.
Like any truly wonderful work of art, architecture or craft it is always best to experience the thing in person. This magnificent building did not disappoint. It’s asymmetric design, playful use of geometry and nontraditional materials make it unique to the landscape. It is in many ways the companion and even a sort of extension of the Guggenheim Bilboa. This is a stunning achievement, a spectacle of a building.
The concert hall is open to the public daily and there are guided tours or taped independent tours available. The interior is equally impressive as the massive exterior. Walls that often follow the contours of the outer surfaces, expansive abstract carpeting and wall art add a specialness to the inner space.
Wood is used to great effect here both as decoration and support. There is a “Vietnam Memorial “ inspired wall displaying the names of the many contributors and founders of the Hall including Eli Broad, LA’s first citizen of the arts.
“The Disney Concert Hall” is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and presided over by their illustrious and energetic conductor; the phenomenal Gustavo Dudamel. He has invigorated the idea of the symphony in very much the way that Leonard Bernstein did in the Nineteen Sixties. His approach and love of music is a perfect fit for the amazing structure that Gehry has built.
As we walked around and through a marvelous achievement; a hallmark of a kind we took pictures. All of the photos are from that visit last December to “The Disney Concert Hall”.
Frank Gehry is da shit!
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