Using 80 rolls of paper, architect Frank Gehry transformed a venue ill-suited for theatrical performances with a strikingly simple – yet effective – stage design.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic's Don Giovanni showed earlier this year at the city’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, which Gehry himself realized in 2003. For the Giovanni project, one of the biggest challenges was that posed by the space itself. The hall was built as a symphonic venue, meaning it doesn’t have the elements of a typical theatre stage – no curtain, orchestra pit, wings or fly loft (rigging system).

Gehry and co-designers, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy of fashion label Rodarte, needed to ensure the theatrical performance could flow seamlessly in such a space.

Inspired by the pages ofGiovanni's sex book, they designed a slew of king-sized white pages that look as though a giant crumpled and dropped them on stage. Forming a marble backdrop to actors, the forms – made of 2.7m-wide paper rolls – also separate actors from the orchestra (which sits on a plane elevated about 1m at the back of the stage).

The architect-cum-set designer trend will continue at the LA Philharmonic next year as Jean Nouvel designs The Marriage of Figaro; Zaha Hadid is scheduled to do the Cosi Fan Tutte in 2014.