There are few major American architects who have been more closely linked to art and artists than Frank Gehry—he's often talked about the inspiration he found in a circle of Los Angeles artists in the early days of his career. He's designed artists' studios, gallery installations, and, of course, art museums, most recently the Fondation Louis Vuitton, an arresting 126,000-square-foot exhibition center in Paris that will open in October. Last month, the Philadelphia Museum of Art opened an exhibition of his planned expansion of their facility (he appeared at the museum, above). Over the years, critics have used art metaphors to describe his architecture—though the term “sculptural” is one that he now rejects. Gehry spoke with RECORD editor in chief Cathleen McGuigan about his connection to the art world—and whether an architect can also be called an artist.

Architectural Record: How did you become so involved with art?