Ieoh Ming Pei (1917 – Present)
I.M. Pei is known for using large, abstract forms and sharp, geometric designs. His glass-clad structures seem to spring from the high tech modernist movement. However, Pei is more concerned with function than theory. His works often incorporate traditional Chinese symbols and building traditions.
In Chinese, Ieoh Ming means “to inscribe brightly.” The name Pei’s parents gave him proved prophetic. Over the past fifty years, Ieoh Ming Pei has designed more than fifty buildings around the world, ranging from industrial skyscrapers and important museums to low income housing.
Pei grew up in Shanghai, but in 1935 he moved to the United States to study architecture and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and later at Harvard University. By 1948, he was Director of Architecture at the real estate development firm, Webb & Knapp. He founded his own firm in 1958.
Due to his reliance on abstract form and materials such as stone, concrete, glass, and steel, Pei has been considered a disciple of Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer, both of whom he studied with at Harvard. After building largely in concrete for many years, more recently Pei designed many sophisticated glass-clad buildings loosely related to the high-tech movement. However, many of his designs result from original design concepts. He frequently works on a large scale and is renowned for his sharp, geometric designs.
During his career, Pei and his firm have won numerous architecture awards. He won the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 1983.
Notable Buildings:
Bank of China, Hong Kong, 1982 to 1990.
Christian Science Center, Boston, Massachusetts, 1968 to 1974.
East Wing, National Gallery, Washington, D.C., 1974 to 1978.
Javits Convention Center, New York, 1979 to 1986.
Pyramide du Louvre, Paris, France, 1989.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio, 1998.
Quote:
“I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity.”
