I built my very first architectural model at the beginning of my architecture degree. It was a request from my father, who was developing a country house project at the time. Turning his architectural drawings into a miniature structure was an exciting experience, although crafting the traditional colonial roof with its nine distinct roof planes proved quite a challenge. I still remember the satisfaction of seeing an idea take shape in three dimensions.
That memory came back to me during my Sunday visit to The Century of Gehry, an exhibition dedicated to the work of architect Frank Gehry at Serralves Museum in Porto. For someone who once studied architecture, walking through an exhibition filled with sketches, models and extraordinary architectural ideas felt like revisiting a familiar part of my creative past.
The Century of Gehry: Inside the Mind of an Architectural Visionary
Presented at the Álvaro Siza Wing of Serralves, The Century of Gehry celebrates the extraordinary imagination of one of contemporary architecture’s most influential figures. Rather than focusing exclusively on finished buildings, the exhibition offers a closer look at the creative process behind Gehry’s work. Across eight thematic chapters, 19 projects reveal how instinct, experimentation and an unconventional approach to form helped shape his architectural language.
From early explorations and sketches to detailed architectural models, the exhibition reveals how seemingly abstract ideas evolve into expressive structures that challenge traditional expectations of architecture. What makes Gehry’s work so distinctive is his ability to blur the boundaries between architecture and sculpture. His buildings often appear to move, twist and unfold, creating an entirely different relationship between a structure and its surroundings.
From Guggenheim Bilbao to Fondation Louis Vuitton: Iconic Projects
Some architectural projects become landmarks not only because of their scale or function, but because of the way they transform the identity of a place. Frank Gehry's work offers some remarkable examples. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, with its dramatic titanium surfaces and sculptural forms, became an internationally recognised symbol of the city's transformation. The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles is another striking example, with its expressive metallic exterior and dynamic composition.
The exhibition also explores projects such as the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, where architecture becomes an interplay of light, movement and transparency. Seeing these projects represented through sketches and models offers a different perspective: a reminder that even the most recognisable buildings begin with an idea, a drawing or an experiment.
Why This Exhibition Felt Personal
There is something particularly fascinating about seeing architectural models up close. I found myself looking beyond the final structures and paying attention to the process: the proportions, the unexpected curves, the materials and the countless decisions that transform an initial concept into a physical space.
My own experience of studying architecture may have ended, but the curiosity never really disappeared. I still find myself drawn to the relationship between form, creativity and the way we experience our surroundings.
It wasn't simply about discovering Frank Gehry's work; it was also a reminder of my own first encounters with architecture and the excitement of creating something from scratch.
Visiting The Century of Gehry at Serralves Museum, Porto
For anyone interested in architecture, design, art or creative thinking, The Century of Gehry is a cultural experience worth adding to a Porto itinerary. The exhibition takes place in the Álvaro Siza Wing at Serralves Museum and is scheduled to run until 10 January 2027.
Whether you are familiar with Gehry's iconic buildings or simply curious about the creative process behind contemporary architecture, the exhibition offers an opportunity to explore his work from a fresh perspective.
Exhibition details:
- Exhibition: The Century of Gehry — Frank Gehry
- Location: Álvaro Siza Wing, Serralves Museum, Porto, Portugal
- Dates: 13 June 2026 – 10 January 2027
- Featuring: 19 projects across eight thematic chapters
For further information and visiting arrangements, consult the official Serralves exhibition page.
Planning a cultural day in Porto?
Add Serralves to your itinerary and take the time to explore this fascinating exhibition. And while you're there, don't miss the opportunity to discover the museum's architecture and the beautiful surrounding gardens.
For more cultural discoveries, art, architecture and inspiring places in Porto and beyond, subscribe now to Theriz Journal.
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