Norton House, Venice, California, USA,
Frank Gehry’s Norton House was designed in 1984 for artist Lynn Norton and writer William Norton. It is a stunning example of Frank Gehry’s unique architectural style.
The Norton House is akin to a sculpture composed of commonplace materials that demonstrates Gehry’s creative approach to architecture.
Featuring a group of boxes connected by staircases, the house includes bedrooms, a studio, and living spaces. The most notable form is the studio, a purple box perched on a pillar, resembling a lifeguard station in honour of William Norton’s past as a lifeguard.
Mr Gehry’s design achieves coherence through fragmentation, with contrasting details uniting to create a unique whole. Incidentally, Gehry built the Norton House on a miniscule budget, using standard materials creatively.
Photos: © Tim Street-Porter, Michael Moran, Samuel T. Ludwig