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Frank Gehry Designs $150 Million Dollar 'Tree House'
Written by William Blumenthal Thursday, 24 May 2012 23:05
SYDNEY, Australia— Known for a postmodern approach that uses fragmented forms, star architect Frank Gehry has opted to look backward for his first commissioned building in Australia, taking inspiration from his childhood by invoking an adventurous youthful icon: the tree house. In a statement, Gehry said that his new building for Sydney's University of Technology will have "a trunk and core of activity and... branches for people to connect and do their private work." The design is also characterized by two distinct façades, with the east side consisting of undulating sandstone-colored brick while the west side will feature large, angled sheets of glass that will reflect and fracture images of surrounding buildings. Frank O. Gehry & Associates has grown to over 140 employees, and the geographic terrain covered by the firm's work includes the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.
With a total expected cost of $150 million — $20 million of which has been provided by Australian-Chinese businessman Chau Chak Wang — the building will house the university's business school. Wang also gave an additional $5 million for an endowment fund for Australia-China student scholarships, making his the largest-ever gift by an individual to an Australian university.Part of the urban campus's expansion, the 11-story structure will feature a café, a student center, and event and exhibition spaces, as well as offices, classrooms, and work spaces. The basement will include bicycle parking and showers for students who bicycle to class. University of Technology vice-chancellor Ross Milbourne said that some elements of the design were still fluid and would be discussed in community consultation sessions from December 17 through January 14. Construction is planned for early 2012 with the building expected to welcome students and faculty in the 2014 academic year.Frank Owen Gehry was born February 28, 1929 in Toronto, Canada. First moving to Los Angeles with his family in 1947, Gehry has gone on to become a pioneering architect recognized widely for his inventive and unique forms and practices. The award of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1989 brought increased recognition, and the years following have been among the most productive and rewarding of Gehry's career. The introduction of sophisticated computer software in the early 1990s has facilitated the construction and engineering of complex building systems and successfully translated the gestural quality of his work from model to built form.
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