Frank Gehry, Explained in the Vegas Desert

Edward Lifson of Hello Beautiful! recently took a jaunt outside of Sin City to check out a new Frank Gehry edifice for a medical center devoted to brain health. Currently under construction, the Lou Ruvo Center comprises two wings in different styles that crash and reverberate at a point of connection, creating a very Gehry-like dissonance that may also reference the two sides of the brain. Left side: ordered, linear, logical. Right side: creative, emotional, random. Click through for more images and see if you, too, can understand the architect formerly known as Ephraim Owen Goldberg.

Jonathan Meades once called Frank Gehry a “one-trick pony,” and we’ll cop to echoing that sentiment more often than not. In this particular setting, however, Gehry’s building is appropriate, “a mirage crashing into an oasis.” And not to belabor the imagery of the “crash,” but such a narrative is apropos when considering the ethos behind a building dedicated to the failing mind, the body’s own formation and decay.

Frank Gehry Ruvo clinic exterior construction(4) IMG_2528+IMG_2490+Frank+Gehry+Cleveland+Clinic+Ruvo+Las+Vegas

Speaking to the Gehry’s skill at creating a genuine architectural experience, Lifson points out that the interiors “recall a dust storm in the desert; under construction Xanadu meets Piranesi.”

Frank Gehry Ruco Clinic construction interior dome

Tell us what you think — tired of Frank Gehry, or just hitting his stride?

Bonus: take the Gehry quiz at The Guardian UK, with guest appearances by Roy Rogers, Brad Pitt, and Laurence Fishburne.

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To Xavier

Seriously, thanks SO much for making that comment, you made my day! I hate him more than anything, especially his stubborn and arrogant, "I know best" attitude, you should've seen the interview with him on ABC.

And to Dave, actually he doesn't design. Really, I'm not kidding, he plays with cardboard boxes and metal sheets and tubes and paper, crushes them randomly and when he finds a shape he likes, that's his building 'design'. I don't know in what universe THAT is called design. Design is all about coming up with a smart solution to create the most effective way to solve a problem.

And to Wright, It makes me want to puke too. Imagine a schizophrenic/hallucinating/mental illness paitent coming to this place, I'd bet they go crazy. If I worked there even as a sane doctor or nurse or any staff, I'd go crazy after a day. The picture is enough of a warning for me to not go there, thank you very much.

And I am an Architecture student. Have a look at ancient architecture and their quality construction (Roman, Chinese or Egyptian, for example). Can't BELIEVE what people are trying to pass off as architecture now. He's only using his fame to sell his crap.

I image this could be various upon the written content material? then again I nonetheless imagine that it may be appropriate for just about any type of subject material, as a result of it will often be enjoyable to resolve a warm and pleasant face or perhaps pay attention a voice when preliminary landing.

Its a weak architecture with no sensitivity to the enviroment or the patients. More architecting than building. The gay architecture

The rhymes are many the notes are few. William Blake

I think Gehry is an amazing architect. I was at the trade show in Vegas a few weeks ago as well and I think it is absolutely beautiful. I can only hope to see more of his amazing designs around the world.

[...] “[In his mind] architectural purity comes perilously close to oppression.” Work samples: Lou Ruvo Center for brain health, Disney Concert Hall in LA, Pritzker concert pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium [...]

Gawd I hate Frank Gehry. What a charlatan. I wish he'd have a stroke -- or maybe he did, and that's why he designs this shit.

what about the patients who may need to come to the center?

as someone who has a parent who has dealt with brain-related issues, i don't think the facade (nor, most likely, the interior) is at all sensitive to this group.

I was recently in Las Vegas for work at the Trade Center and saw the Gehry project located nearby. What a tortured design! It looks like Gehry's office is overloaded with commissions and the 'kids' are designing the projects without much input or real control from him. It's too bad! He's actually a brilliant architect who perfected his craft over many years and was finally recognized for it only to fall prey to 'BIGNESS SICKNESS!' It's a shame and a waste of his talent. Every architect goes through stages of excellence but you hope they always pull themselves up and morph their technique into a new version that resonates with people. Right now Gehry doesn't seem to be able to do that. And as an aside, he should be ashamed of the tawdry designs his firm has produced for jewelry under the Tiffany's label. Shoddy, shoddy, shoddy!

I hope they feel their money was well spent. a lot of smoke and mirrors for little "usable" square footage.

this made me puke. Gehry is a sellout to his own game. taking advantage of architectural ignorance and imposing such a piece of slop on society.the skin will feel good in that hot desert and this thing should leak but they don't have water so in the meantime ill keep flushing my toilet.

this obvious symbolism shouldn't reflect contemporary architecture. i'm with Meades. this aimless 'object architecture' form-finding technique is getting boring.

oh wow, Frank Gehry's architecture is Gehry-like? That's nuts.

ps, this is still sick.

you need an elevation picture of the white boxy side of the building

I dig it. Very cool how he symbolizes the two sides of the brian in the architecture.

I think, as functional architecture for a medical building, this building is awful. And I like Gehry. I think, while symbolic, it's a cruel joke to tell people with problems that this building is where they will receive help. If it was a roller rink, I'd be all for it.

Was this designed or did it simply congeal?

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  1. [...] “[In his mind] architectural purity comes perilously close to oppression.” Work samples: Lou Ruvo Center for brain health, Disney Concert Hall in LA, Pritzker concert pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium [...]