Frank Gehry Bounces Back from WTC Snub with New Construction Technology Endeavor
It was big news last week that Frank Gehry’s designed plans for the Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center were axed by execs of the site. Though he may have felt slightly snubbed, based on quotes he provided to the New York Times, Gehry seemed unaffected overall. His mellow reaction toward the dis is now further substantiated by news that his IT company Gehry Technologies has been acquired by American location technology firm Trimble (the owner of 3D drawing software SketchUp) in order to “transform the construction industry by further connecting the office to on-site construction technologies,” according to Trimble.
Trimble specializes in on-site location and surveying technologies and manufactures GPS devices, laser rangefinders, and navigation systems. They believe their new acquisition of Gehry’s software company–which creates building information modelling, analytics, and visualization tools–will allow them to connect the off-site design and on-site delivery processes. The California-based partnership is expected to provide improved access to data for architects, engineers, contractors, and owners.
Frank Gehry’s IAC Building in Chelsea courtesy of wallyg via photopin cc
Gehry Technologies was officially formed in 2002 to develop 3D design solutions for Gehry’s intricate designs, utilizing software and techniques from the aerospace and automotive industries, while keeping cost and schedule in line for his clients. The company has offered collaborative design platform and building information modelling solutions to clients including Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid, and Herzog & de Meuron, to name a few.
Gehry Technologies will become part of Trimble’s Engineering and Construction arm. The starchitect has stated, “This merger is a dream for me. In Trimble, we find a partner who has like-minded ambitions and goals to create efficiencies in the AEC industry that allow the creativity of the architectural profession to flourish and deliver value-added creative solutions within the realities of our economic times. I am very excited to expand our mission with a great new partner.”
Read the official press release here.
[Related: Frank Gehry’s Decade-Old Design for the WTC Performing Arts Center Gets Dumped by Officials]
[Via Dezeen]
Lead image via Top Design Architecture
