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Pei was born in [[Guangzhou|Canton]] (now called Guangzhou), [[China]] on [[April 26]], [[1917]], to a prominent family. His father, a banker, was later the director of the [[Bank of China]] and the governor of the Central Bank of China. His family later moved to [[Shanghai]], but resided in [[Suzhou]], a city near Shanghai. The family's residence is in a renowned garden in Suzhou, now part of the [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage Site]] listed Classical Gardens of Suzhou. The house was called the Garden of the Lion Forest, and consisted of many rock sculptures carved naturally by water. Pei loved how the buildings and the nature were combined, and especially liked the way light and shadow mixed.
Pei was born in [[Guangzhou|Canton]] (now called Guangzhou), [[China]] on [[April 26]], [[1917]], to a prominent family. His father, a banker, was later the director of the [[Bank of China]] and the governor of the Central Bank of China. His family later moved to [[Shanghai]], but resided in [[Suzhou]], a city near Shanghai. The family's residence is in a renowned garden in Suzhou, now part of the [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage Site]] listed Classical Gardens of Suzhou. The house was called the Garden of the Lion Forest, and consisted of many rock sculptures carved naturally by water. Pei loved how the buildings and the nature were combined, and especially liked the way light and shadow mixed.


His first education was at [[St. Paul's College]] (primary school), [[Hong Kong]] and then at [[Saint John's University, Shanghai|Saint John's University]] (high school), Shanghai before moving to the United States to study architecture at the age of 18 at the [[University of Pennsylvania]]. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] in 1940. He is a 1940 recipient of the Alpha Rho Chi Medal, the MIT Traveling Fellowship, and the AIA Gold Medal. He then studied at the [[Harvard Graduate School of Design]]. Shortly after his studies there, he was a member of the [[National Defense Research Committee]] in [[Princeton, New Jersey]]. <ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/i_m_pei/index.shtml I M Pei Biography, Bio, Profile, pictures, photos from Netglimse.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
His first education was at [[St. Paul's College, Hong Kong|St. Paul's College]] (primary school), [[Hong Kong]] and then at [[Saint John's University, Shanghai|Saint John's University]] (high school), Shanghai before moving to the United States to study architecture at the age of 18 at the [[University of Pennsylvania]]. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] in 1940. He is a 1940 recipient of the Alpha Rho Chi Medal, the MIT Traveling Fellowship, and the AIA Gold Medal. He then studied at the [[Harvard Graduate School of Design]]. Shortly after his studies there, he was a member of the [[National Defense Research Committee]] in [[Princeton, New Jersey]]. <ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/i_m_pei/index.shtml I M Pei Biography, Bio, Profile, pictures, photos from Netglimse.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


In 1944, he returned to Harvard, studying under [[Walter Gropius]], who was previously associated with the [[Bauhaus]]. He received a Master's degree in Architecture in 1946. He was a member of the Harvard faculty subsequently attaining the rank of assistant professor. He received the Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship in 1951 and became a [[naturalized citizen]] of the United States in 1954.<ref>[http://www.pcfandp.com/a/f/fme/imp/b/b.html Official biography from Pei Cobb Freed & Partners website]</ref>
In 1944, he returned to Harvard, studying under [[Walter Gropius]], who was previously associated with the [[Bauhaus]]. He received a Master's degree in Architecture in 1946. He was a member of the Harvard faculty subsequently attaining the rank of assistant professor. He received the Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship in 1951 and became a [[naturalized citizen]] of the United States in 1954.<ref>[http://www.pcfandp.com/a/f/fme/imp/b/b.html Official biography from Pei Cobb Freed & Partners website]</ref>

Revision as of 03:55, 6 April 2009

Ieoh Ming Pei
Architect I.M. Pei in the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg
Born (1917-04-26) April 26, 1917 (age 107)
Guangzhou (Canton), China
NationalityAmerican
OccupationArchitect
AwardsAIA Gold Medal
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Pritzker Prize
BuildingsLouvre Pyramid
Bank of China Tower
Javits Convention Center
East Building, National Gallery of Art
I. M. Pei
Traditional Chinese貝聿銘
Simplified Chinese贝聿铭
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBèi Yùmíng
Gwoyeu RomatzyhBey Yuhming
Wade–GilesPei4 Yü4-ming2
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingbui3 jyut6 ming3

Ieoh Ming Pei (貝聿銘) (born April 26, 1917), commonly known by his initials I. M. Pei, is a Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese-born American architect, known as the last master of high modernist architecture.

Early life and education

Pei was born in Canton (now called Guangzhou), China on April 26, 1917, to a prominent family. His father, a banker, was later the director of the Bank of China and the governor of the Central Bank of China. His family later moved to Shanghai, but resided in Suzhou, a city near Shanghai. The family's residence is in a renowned garden in Suzhou, now part of the World Heritage Site listed Classical Gardens of Suzhou. The house was called the Garden of the Lion Forest, and consisted of many rock sculptures carved naturally by water. Pei loved how the buildings and the nature were combined, and especially liked the way light and shadow mixed.

His first education was at St. Paul's College (primary school), Hong Kong and then at Saint John's University (high school), Shanghai before moving to the United States to study architecture at the age of 18 at the University of Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1940. He is a 1940 recipient of the Alpha Rho Chi Medal, the MIT Traveling Fellowship, and the AIA Gold Medal. He then studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Shortly after his studies there, he was a member of the National Defense Research Committee in Princeton, New Jersey. [1]

In 1944, he returned to Harvard, studying under Walter Gropius, who was previously associated with the Bauhaus. He received a Master's degree in Architecture in 1946. He was a member of the Harvard faculty subsequently attaining the rank of assistant professor. He received the Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship in 1951 and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1954.[2]

Career

In 1948, William Zeckendorf hired Pei to work at the real estate development corporation Webb and Knapp in a newly created post, Director of Architecture. While at Webb and Knapp, Pei worked on many large-scale architectural and planning projects across the country and designed his buildings mostly in the manner of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. [3]

Pei founded his own architectural firm in 1955, which was originally known as I. M. Pei and Associates and, later, I. M. Pei & Partners until 1989 when it became known as Pei Cobb Freed & Partners recognizing James Ingo Freed and Henry N. Cobb.

Honors

Ambassador Ann L. Wagner hosts a reception for American Architect I.M. Pei to celebrate the opening of his latest project, the Musee d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM) in Luxembourg

I.M. Pei is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a Corporate Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He has also been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Design, and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. In 1975 he was elected to the American Academy, which is restricted to a lifetime membership of fifty members. In 1978, he became Chancellor of the American Academy, the first architect to hold that position. He served until 1980. Mr. Pei was inducted a "Membre de l'Institut de France" in 1984, and decorated by the French government as a Commandeur in the "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" in 1985. On July 4, 1986, he was one of twelve naturalized American citizens to receive the Medal of Liberty from President Ronald Reagan. Two years later French president François Mitterrand inducted I. M. Pei as a Chevalier in the Légion d'Honneur. In November 1993 he was raised to Officier. Also in 1993, he was elected an Honorary Academician of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. In 1997 the Académie d'Architecture de France elected him Foreign Member.[4]

Family and later life

In 1990, Pei retired from his firm but still maintains an office there. He has 4 children, 2 of them architects. Two of his sons, Chien Chung (Didi) Pei and Li Chung (Sandi) Pei, after leaving their father's firm, established their own practice, Pei Partnership Architects in 1992. I. M. Pei still participates in design work with both Pei Cobb Freed and Partners and Pei Partnership Architects.[1][5]

Selected works

2007 — time-lapse video of the construction of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Direct link).

Project list

Main article: List of I.M. Pei Projects

References

  1. ^ a b I M Pei Biography, Bio, Profile, pictures, photos from Netglimse.com
  2. ^ Official biography from Pei Cobb Freed & Partners website
  3. ^ "I.M. Pei's biography page at the web site of his firm, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners".
  4. ^ http://www.pcf-p.com/a/f/fme/imp/b/b.html
  5. ^ Kimm, Yvette (February 6, 2005), "Renowned architect honored at Asian Museum gala" (PDF), HeraldTribune.com: Southwest Florida's Information Leader{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
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