In Memoriam: Frank Gehry
By Peter M. Clausen, former Chairman of Bitten & Mads Clausen's Foundation, and Per Egebæk Have, Chairman of Bitten & Mads Clausen's Foundation.
Frank Gehry passed away yesterday, Friday, December 5th, at the age of 96.
The world has lost a visionary architect who not only shaped buildings but also taught us that architecture can be a driver of growth and development.
In Sønderborg, his name will forever be linked to the development of the city's harbour front.
Frank Gehry was born in 1929 to a working-class family in Toronto. He rose to international fame with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, which helped transform a small fishing town into an international tourist destination.
This led us to think: could we do something similar here in Sønderborg?
Frank Gehry was invited to Sønderborg and took on the task of creating a master plan that included buildings of high architectural quality and for mixed-use, ensuring a vibrant and inspiring area. Furthermore, it was a requirement that the district be sustainable and contribute to the municipality's ProjectZero vision of making our energy system CO₂-neutral by 2029.
In August 2008, Gehry delivered a master plan with development plots that turned the former industrial harbour into a hub for a hotel, cultural facilities, businesses, and housing.
Although realising the full master plan has taken longer than expected, each of the completed development plots has been executed as Gehry designed it, with only minor adjustments along the way.
Gehry's buildings worldwide, and his master plan for our city, stand as a lasting testament to his talent and vision for urban development.
Honour to his memory!
