Gehry wrapped three sides of the old house with a new structure, adding roughly 800 sq ft to the first floor.
Located in the new glass-and-metal shell, the kitchen and dining spaces are defined by skewed geometries. A large, tilted cube of glass and wood framing juts out over the kitchen, acting as a radical skylight. The floor plan here is open and fluid, breaking away from the boxy, cellular rooms of traditional 1920s design. 3. The Original Core (The Living Room)
Traditional floor plans rely on distinct rooms with clear functions (e.g., hallway, dining room, kitchen). Gehry collapsed these boundaries. Spaces bleed into one another through exposed studs, missing doors, and transparent glass planes, creating a continuous, flowing interior landscape. Layered Thresholds gehry residence floor plan
At the heart of this radical transformation is a floor plan that challenges conventional ideas of domestic space. By wrapping, slicing, and extending the original structure, Gehry created a layout where old and new collide. Architectural Context: The House Within a House
Gehry famously placed the kitchen at the heart of the plan. In the late 1970s, kitchens were often relegated to the back of the house. Gehry, acknowledging the kitchen as the social hub of the family, positioned it centrally. The plan shows this space spilling out into the new additions, blurring the line between cooking, dining, and living. Gehry wrapped three sides of the old house
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
For those interested in learning more about the Gehry Residence and its floor plan, here are some additional insights: The floor plan here is open and fluid,
The floor plan retains the original 1920s bungalow as its core. This existing structure provides the conventional "servant" spaces and private bedrooms, while the new sculptural addition wraps around its front and side, creating the public and transitional zones.
The Gehry Residence floor plan is a testament to Frank Gehry's innovative and playful approach to design. Its non-orthogonal layout, multi-level spaces, and curved lines have redefined the possibilities of residential architecture. As a work of art, the Gehry Residence continues to inspire architects, designers, and anyone interested in exploring the boundaries of creative expression.
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.