The Gehry Residence is located in Santa Monica, California, and was designed as a renovation and expansion of a 1922 bungalow. The house serves as both a residence for Gehry and his family, as well as an office for his architectural practice.
Traditional residential floor plans prioritize clear circulation pathways—hallways, doors, and transitional foyers that separate public zones from private zones. The Gehry Residence rejects this hierarchy in favor of a fluid, cinematic progression.
This design strategy created a highly unique spatial relationship:
in Santa Monica (1978) is more than just a home; it is a manifesto of deconstructivist architecture. Rather than building a house from scratch, Frank Gehry bought an existing 1920s Dutch Colonial bungalow and wrapped it in a "shell" of industrial materials like chain-link fencing, corrugated metal, and plywood. The Ground Floor: A Dialogue of Old and New
Upon entering the house, visitors do not step into a traditional foyer. Instead, they enter the newly constructed perimeter zone. This wrap-around space contains the kitchen and dining areas. gehry residence floor plan
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Rather than demolishing the original 1920s pink Dutch Colonial bungalow, Gehry chose to "wrap" it with a new exterior structure made of industrial materials like , chain-link fencing , and plywood .
Find between the Gehry House and other early deconstructivist homes. Let me know what you'd like to explore next! Gehry Residence Analysis - Connor Gravelle, Architect
Gehry wrapped three sides of the old house with a new structure, adding roughly 800 sq ft to the first floor. The Gehry Residence is located in Santa Monica,
The ground floor plan is punctured by dramatic overhead volumes. Gehry cut large, geometric openings into the ceilings and walls to let light pour in from unexpected angles. The most famous example is the tilted glass cube over the kitchen, which acts as a deconstructed skylight, skewing the perspective of the ground floor grid.
A comparison between this early work and Gehry's later like the Bilbao Guggenheim. Share public link
These are located in the new addition along the northwest frontage. Notably, the kitchen was built directly on the former asphalt driveway, which serves as its flooring.
If you are studying the blueprint, pay attention to the windows. They are not placed for symmetry. They are placed to frame specific views of the neighbors' houses—views that Gehry then distorted by angling the framing studs. The floor plan dictates exactly where your eye will stop. The Gehry Residence rejects this hierarchy in favor
The Gehry Residence incorporates several innovative design elements, including:
There is no "master ensuite" in the traditional sense. The floor plan forces you to walk through semi-exterior spaces (the glass bridge) to reach the toilet. This is not a bug; it is the feature. Gehry was asking: Why do we hide our movement?
A key feature of the ground floor is the patio space located between the old house and the new structure. This area, described by Gehry as an "entertainment plaza," serves as an outdoor room that bridges the gap between the two, often used for performances and gatherings.
The Gehry Residence Floor Plan: Deconstructing Frank Gehry’s Residential Masterpiece