Enlarge image Photo: © Grant Mudford Los Angeles CA.      GEHRY RESIDENCE Santa Monica, California 1977–78; 1991–92 Gehry's initial renovation of his own home—an unassuming two-story bungalow on a corner lot—provided an unprecedented opportunity for the architect to experiment with materials and spatial dynamics. Using materials atypical of residential applications, he wrapped the existing structure in layers of corrugated metal and chain link, and pierced the outer skin with large glass apertures rotated off square. Interior spaces were opened up and plaster was stripped away to expose the wood-frame construction, imparting an unexpected sense of process and movement. The striking results of this house within a house blurred the distinction between new and old, interior and exterior, and brought Gehry widespread attention within the architectural and artistic communities. It also articulated a number of concerns he would continue to explore: the reconsideration of the architectural envelope; the unexpected use of such materials as chain link, asphalt, and wire glass; and the rejection of the Modernist grid.