I. M. Pei
A modernist who designed museums and civic buildings through geometry and light.
Born in Guangzhou and educated and employed in the United States, Pei led major projects around the world as a Chinese American architect.
The Louvre Pyramid contrasts glass geometry with a historic palace court, reorganizing entrance, orientation, and light.
The National Gallery’s East Building in Washington uses triangular geometry and atrium light to organize museum circulation.
The Bank of China Tower expresses diagonal bracing on the skyline of Hong Kong.
Pei favored clear geometry, material, and light, producing public buildings noted for their legibility.
