Frank Gehry , the globally famous architect, who died on Dec. 5 at the age of 96, lived much of his life in a bungalow in Santa Monica that is modest in size but expansive in its idea of the number of building materials one home can sustain. Just on one side, visible from the street, there’s plywood, pink stucco, corrugated iron, chain link fencing and glass. Even by L.A. standards, it’s a lot. Unlike many famous architects’ first homes, it has not been sold or upgraded. Less than a decade ago, Gehry moved to a new house designed by his son, Sam, but for many people, including me, the Santa Monica house was the first taste of a type of architectural mischievousness—what is that building?— that charmed a generation.

Read more : How Frank Gehry Changed Buildings—and Cities—Forever

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