I.M. Pei 1917-
Prize-winning Architect
Ieoh Ming Pei (eeyoh mihng pay) was born in China. In 1935, he came to the United States to study architecture. Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings. In 1954, Pei became a United States citizen. One of his earliest projects was the Mile High Center in Denver. It is made up of high-rise buildings and open space, which are used for offices, stores, and exhibitions. Not long after that, he designed a housing project in Philadelphia for people with low incomes. Among the many buildings Pei and his partners designed are a bank in Hong Kong, a new wing for the National Gallery in Washington D.C., and a new, pyramid-shaped entrance for a famous museum in Paris, France.
Today Pei's buildings are well-known all over the world. Pei has won many awards for his work. One award was the International Pritzker Architecture Prize. In 1983, the group that chose him for the prize praised him because he has designed not only grand buildings for governments, businesses, and museums, but also housing for people with low incomes. The group said that his buildings look like they belong in the places where they are built. The group also said his kindness and patience allowed him to work with all kinds of people.
Critical Thinking
Why do you think it is important for buildings to fit in with their surroundings?