Gehry Residence Floor Plan May 2026
Gehry Residence in Santa Monica, California, renovated between 1977 and 1978, is a seminal work of deconstructivist architecture where Frank Gehry wrapped a new, industrial house around an existing 1920s suburban Dutch Colonial bungalow
of the original structure with a new, aggressive envelope of industrial materials like corrugated metal, chain-link fencing, and plywood. Ground Floor Layout The ground floor exemplifies Gehry’s concept of gehry residence floor plan
- A dramatic, swooping staircase connects the living room to a raised platform that serves as a reading nook or seating area.
- A small, enclosed garden on the upper level provides a secluded outdoor space with views of the surrounding area.
- The master bedroom is located on the upper level, along with a second bedroom and a bathroom.
The original house sat quietly on the corner of 22nd Street and Washington Avenue. Gehry’s challenge was simple yet impossible: How do you double the size of a modest family home without destroying its soul—or going bankrupt? A dramatic, swooping staircase connects the living room
Key Takeaway for Architects:
When studying this plan, remember that Frank Gehry designed it by building physical models, not by drawing lines. The skewed angles are the result of tearing paper and gluing wood chips. If you try to draft the Gehry Residence floor plan with a T-square, you will fail. You have to break the square to understand it. The original house sat quietly on the corner
