Frank Gehry, the world renowned architect, died at Santa Monica home on Friday, December 5. He was 96. Gehry is known for his imaginative building designs and is the person behind buildings like The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Among some of his other notable works are Berlin’s DZ Bank Building and an expansion of Facebook’s Northern California headquarters, which he designed at the insistence of CEO Mark Zuckerberg. His fascination with modern pop art plays out in his building designs.

Frank Gehry cause of death

Gehry passed away after a brief respiratory illness as per Meaghan Lloyd, chief of staff at Gehry Partners LLP.

Beyond the immediate news of his death, there are no reports of Gehry’s previous struggles with respiratory issues.

During his time, Gehry managed to get every major architecture award, including the Pritzker Prize, which is the top honor in the field. His other awards and honors include the Royal Institute of British Architects gold medal, the Americans for the Arts lifetime achievement award, and the Companion of the Order of Canada.

What to know about Frank Gehry

Gehry was born Ephraim Owen Goldberg in Toronto, on February 28, 1929. He moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1947 and eventually became a US citizen. He changed his name as an adult at the suggestion of his wife, who had told him that antisemitism might be holding back his career.

Gehry only seriously considered a career in architecture when he was 20. He went on to get his degree on the subject from the University of Southern California in 1954. He served in the army and then enrolled at Harvard University, where he studied urban planning.

He is survived by wife, Berta; daughter, Brina; sons Alejandro and Samuel. Leslie Gehry Brenner, his daughter, died of cancer in 2008.

(With AP inputs)