Los Angeles, California – Dem say one legend don go as Frank Gehry, the architect wey dey revolutionize building world, don kick bucket for him house for Santa Monica after brief illness. Gehry wey don reach 96 years, na him design classic places like the Guggenheim Museum for Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall for LA.
Dis man na the most popular American architect since Frank Lloyd Wright (yes, my paddy, dem level be like competition for chop!). Gehry no be just any architect; him dey use computer to create design wey sabi blend curves and steel like say dem be best friends. E bring style wey plenty people dey see as art, and im no dey shy to show am off.
Born as Ephraim Owen Goldberg for Toronto on February 28, 1929, Gehry and him family move go Los Angeles for 1947. At first, im no sabi wetin him wan do; him even work as truck driver (now, no be all of us fit dey drive, no mind am o!). But everything change when teacher for school show am art and design. Abeg, who suppose give this kind opportunity wey no fit change life?
Gehry’s signature works turn plenty cities’ face upside down. The Guggenheim Museum wey him design for Bilbao don become something wey people sabi as the ‘Bilbao effect’ (like magic wey dey turn small town into tourist haven). You fit sabi the way people dey rush the museum because e clean well well!
As part of im career, Gehry connect with big shots like Mark Zuckerberg and design Facebook office wey fit whole countless minds. Him also dey collect awards like say dem be raffle tickets – Pritzker Prize, Royal Institute of British Architects gold medal, National Medal of the Arts and even Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama. Chai, see as him house don turn Hall of Fame!
Even though people wey no gree like Gehry work dey plenty, him no send their matter. E use dis opportunity to dey show say architecture na art—no be just brick and mortar. Gehry dey laugh as e talk say e dey create sculpture wey fit contain plenty paddy wagons and even their life stories.
Before him kick bucket, Gehry still dey plan new projects, dey express im love for design even as him don cross 90 years. As e no fit keep calm, e dey hustle for new buildings wey go carry di Gehry signature anywhere dem build am.
Frank Gehry leave behind im wife Berta, two sons wey dey follow for architecture, and plenty buildings wey go dey tell im story for years to come. Na di kind legacy wey fit outlast our own lifetime! Rest in peace, Frank; your name go dey shine like di big star wey you be!
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