Richard Meier is gay, says son

One of America's most celebrated architects, Richard Meier (pictured), has been accused by his son of locking him up in a mental hospital and trying to disinherit him after he accused his father of being a homosexual. In an interview with the New York Post, Joseph Meier, 28, a Fulbright scholar who studied sculpture in Italy, claims his relationship with his father went into meltdown when he discovered – he alleges - that the architect was gay. Although the claim is denied by friends of Meier, whose architectural credits include the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and who is known for his white minimalist style, his son is adamant about his father's sexuality.

"I think that the kid of Clay Aiken [the American Idol star who came out of the closet this week] is very lucky. He probably won't risk being fired by his father or be cancelled from his will."

Meier said his 73-year old father tried to have him declared "paranoid for no reason" with the help of doctors and a trustee at the Mount Sinai Psychiatric Hospital. He adds: "When I discovered that my father is gay . . . he illegally forced me to stay five days in hospital. I got out with the help of two lawyers and now my father is in a war with me in order to cancel me from the inheritance."

While the Post could not verify this with Meier's father's lawyers, his son is determined to get the story out, and is now planning to write a book "about my tragic experience with a gay father that didn't want to come out of the closet" and who "became aggressive when I discovered the truth".

A spokesman for Richard Meier, who is divorced from Joseph's mother, fellow architect Katherine Gormley, said he was "shocked and saddened" by his son's allegations, but declined to address them point by point. According to those who know Meier Senior, the claims are absurd, especially as he is known to have an appreciative eye for beautiful women. One friend said: "I've seen him with many, many, many women. He really gets around, even at his age. He loves women. What the son says isn't true."