Architect I.M. Pei has died at 102. He leaves a legacy of notable buildings, including the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.
By Terri Sapienza May 16 at 6:34 PM I.M. Pei, an American modernist architect regarded as one of the world’s leading designers of civic centers and cultural institutions, including the National Gallery of Art's East Building, the glass pyramid at the entrance to the Louvre in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, has died at 102.
“You cannot talk about architecture in the last 60 years without talking seriously about I.M. Pei,” said Robert A.M. Stern, a former dean of the Yale University School of Architecture. He referred to Mr. Pei as perhaps the greatest modern maker of monuments, and said of Mr. Pei's legacy: “It's not a single building. It's his work over a generation of time and his logical and relentless pursuit of the highest degree of excellence.
Born in China, Mr. Pei earned degrees from MIT and Harvard’s design school and spent his early career designing low-income housing for a real estate developer in New York. “He knew how to use his innate charm to his best advantage,” said Cannell. “You can imagine for Jackie Kennedy, surrounded all her life by overbearing men, how charmed she could be talking to a man like Pei.”
Mr. Pei's original design for the library included a glass pyramid, a design element that would reappear years later at the Louvre in Paris and become a signature form. The finished product, a building made of steel, glass and marble with an H-shaped facade and a knife-edge corner, introduced modernism to the Mall while blending seamlessly with its neoclassical neighbors. Opened in 1978, it was named one of the 10 best buildings in America by the American Institute of Architects.
The French newspaper Le Monde referred to it as “an annex to Disneyland.” The museum director resigned in protest. After the death of his mother, Mr. Pei moved with his family to Shanghai, where his interest in architecture began with a fascination with the growing cityscape. Once, while walking with his uncle past a new hotel, the younger Pei became so inspired by the buildings he saw that he stopped walking, sat down and started sketching.
The outbreak of World War II and the Communist takeover in China prevented Mr. Pei from him from returning to his homeland. He became an American citizen in 1954. When Zeckendorf got into financial trouble, Mr. Pei took the opportunity to go out on his own. In 1955, he established his own firm, I.M. Pei & Associates, which later became I.M. Pei & Partners, then finally, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners.
The 60-story glass skyscraper was designed by Mr. Pei's partner, Henry Cobb. Before the building was completed, windows began popping out and falling to the sidewalks below. Mr. Pei retired from his firm in 1990 to become a sole practitioner. He spent his semi-retirement working as a consultant for his company, assisting at his sons' New York-based architectural firm and taking on projects that brought him personal pleasure.
Perhaps the finest example of Mr. Pei's artistry came late in the designer's life. The Miho Museum near Kyoto, Japan , sits on a remote mountain in the middle of a protected nature preserve. Inspired by a 4th-century Chinese poem, the architect designed a 150,000-square-foot limestone, glass and steel structure, of which only a portion can be seen peeking through the hilltops; 95 percent of the building is buried.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Man Who’s Been In A Bunch Of Buildings Figures He’d Be A Pretty Good ArchitectCEDAR RAPIDS, IA—Claiming he has “taken a good, long look” at houses, hospitals, churches, and other structures intended for human use or habitation, retail associate Arnold Drucker, 32, said Tuesday that since he has been in or near a great number of buildings, he assumes he would be a pretty good architect. “I mean, I’ve been in tons of buildings and I really paid attention, so I’d be starting with a pretty good leg up, especially considering the number of doors and stairs and whole rooms I’ve used. I’ve almost been in more rooms than I can count,” said Drucker, who concluded that his long history of entering, occupying, and exiting buildings has provided him with sufficient knowledge to begin designing floors, walls, or ceilings. “Now, a movie theater is different because it has lots of seats, and a library’s got to have a bunch of shelves. Museums and sports arenas are trickier, but I could probably just specialize in what I know, which is regular houses and stores. Off the bat, though, every building needs to have a bathroom, ceilings that are taller than a person, and at least one place to put pieces of furniture for sitting. Man, imagine if I sat down and really worked on this.” Drucker has since pledged to further apply himself to his studies upon realizing he has never been inside of a factory, a greenhouse, or a school.
Weiterlesen »
Architect unveils striking proposal for 'green' Notre DameThe rebuilt Notre Dame could feature a futuristic glass design, solar power, and an urban farm that supports vulnerable and homeless Parisians, if one architecture firm's vision is realized
Weiterlesen »
30 Seasons Of 'The Simpsons': How Matt Groening's Cartoon Family Of 5 Became A TV InstitutionHow has 'The Simpsons' thrived for 3 decades? Creator Matt Groening says the key is finding bold new ways to mine comedy out of a structure the show built 30 years ago. (hereandnow)
Weiterlesen »
‘Game of Thrones’ is the defining pop-cultural experience of the millennial generationIt could be the last show millennials will watch together, and come to define the generation the way TV series and movies have defined others.
Weiterlesen »
Gucci's 'Indy Turban' criticized for cultural appropriationCritics say that selling the turbans, which cost almost $800 each, is cultural appropriation, particularly because those wearing them as designer accessories won’t appreciate their deep religious significance. - NBCAsianAmerica
Weiterlesen »
NYPD officer at center of Eric Garner choke hold case faces disciplinary trialA week-long departmental trial for the New York police officer who put Eric Garner in the unauthorized choke hold that led to his death nearly five years ago on Staten Island is set to begin this week.
Weiterlesen »
Consumer bureau official at center of racial uproar resignsA senior Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee whose racially charged blog posts sparked an uproar last year is leaving the agency at the end of the month
Weiterlesen »