We are deeply saddened by the passing of Frank Gehry (1929–2025). A longtime supporter of the Divan Orchestra, the legendary architect created the design of the Pierre Boulez Saal at the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin, inspired by the artistic and humanistic ideas he shared with Maestro Daniel Barenboim. We remember him with deep admiration and gratitude.

His long friendship with Daniel Barenboim and Pierre Boulez, and his abiding passion for music, led him to imagine a space conceived for openness, dialogue, and attentive listening. Frank Gehry's deep engagement with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and the Barenboim-Said Akademie shaped the path that brought the Pierre Boulez Saal into reality. The hall he created in Berlin remains one of his most personal gifts: intimate architecture that brings musicians and audiences into a shared sphere of thought and sound. His spirit and his ideas will continue to resonate there.

"The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra became a symbol of something I believe in very deeply: that people from different languages, cultures or politics can ultimately speak to each other through the arts."

– Frank Gehry