Saturday Memory
December 6, 2025

Frank Gehry, the soul of postmodern architecture, has died at 96. Back in 1978, when I lived in Santa Monica, Frank and I were neighbors. He was working on an unprecedented reworking of his home, and it was this that caught the world’s attention. The somewhat posh neighborhood was outraged at his reconstruction, but the world of architecture saw something new in the making. Around this same time, I was a member of the C. G. Jung Institute and the C. G. Jung Society of Los Angeles. A new building was proposed to serve as the home of the Institute and Society, as well as the Analytical Psychology Club of Los Angeles. I suggested that Frank be the architect and design the building after interviewing all the members. Most members wanted the architect to follow their ideas. I proposed that we let Frank be free to create whatever he is inspired to design after talking with the members. Sad to say, after speaking with everyone, Frank said he could not take on the project when there was so much fear about what he would design. I think almost everyone imagined him doing something “crazy,” as he had done to his house. Frank continued to live in his Santa Monica house for decades. In the early 80s, I left Los Angeles and fell out of touch with Frank. He went on to become one of the world’s great architects. Please take a look at his famous buildings. Here is a picture of his house in Santa Monica.