Famed architect Cesar Pelli dies at 92
 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Architect César Pelli, renowned for designing some of the world’s tallest buildings, has died, his firm said. He was 92.

Pelli, an Argentine-American whose work ranged from skyscrapers in Malaysia and New York to an arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma, died Friday at his home in New Haven, Connecticut, said Anibal Bellomio, a senior associate architect at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects.

Pelli’s cause of death wasn’t specified.

After growing up in Depression-era Argentina, Pelli rose to the literal heights of the architectural world. At 1,483 feet (452 meters) tall, his Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are among the tallest buildings on the planet.

News of his death prompted tributes from people including Argentine President Mauricio Macri, who tweeted that “the works he leaves throughout the world as a legacy are a pride for Argentines.”

Matt Fleury, president of the Pelli-designed Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, lauded the architect Saturday for creating “exactly the expressive, beautiful and functional structure required.”

Pelli, a former dean of the Yale School of Architecture, saw his field as “an eminently social art,” as he told a magazine interviewer in 2012.

“It has a deep responsibility in everything that has to do with human beings, their history, their geography and their feelings,” he told Americas, a magazine then published by the Organization of American States.

Besides the Petronas Towers, Pelli’s buildings include Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, Los Angeles’ colorful Pacific Design Center and Brookfield Place, a downtown Manhattan skyscraper complex that includes the headquarters of The Associated Press. The complex, formerly called the World Financial Center, is across the street from the World Trade Center.

Pelli was born into a humble background in the northern Argentine city of San Miguel de Tucuman; he once told an interviewer that his grandfather’s inheritance was nine loaves of bread in an oven. His mother was a geography and French teacher, and his father a civil servant who ended up selling inks and glue to get by during the Great Depression.

As a university student, he got into architecture after realizing it involved “all things that I like, drawing, history, design, art,” he told The Talks, an online magazine, in 2017. A graduate-student scholarship to the University of Illinois brought him to the United States in 1952.

During his career Pelli became known for soaring skyscrapers and his use of glass, among other things.
“One aspires for the sky, and I understand that. It is so powerful,” he told The Talks.

In a 2007 interview with La Gaceta, a newspaper in his Argentine home state of Tucuman, Pelli was asked what he would like his epitaph to read.

″‘He was a good person,’” the architect responded.

https://www.apnews.com/a4e39ecb667144688ac82247780ac931

Oh no! :(

First I. M. Pei and now Pelli. :(

181 West Madison. I walk past this beauty every morning and every evening. He did a gorgeous job.

Man, that’s a bummer. He seems to have lived a hell of a life though.

Ok, we should have done this with IM Pei: what’s your single favorite Pelli tower? Lots of his most famous works played on the same one or two evolved themes for the better part of his career, but that makes the choice more fun.

For me, it’s the Wells Fargo Center, Minneapolis. Gran Torre Santiago came in a close second.

Here's a list of his work:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...y_César_Pelli

I didn't realize some of these buildings were the work of Cesar Pelli.

What an architect! What a legacy!

It's always sad to hear news of legends passing on, but at 92, it's not nearly so sad. What a life he got to live, designing some true landmark knock-outs. More importantly, he always came across as a really decent and humble man in his public persona.



Same, Wells Fargo in Minneapolis might just be the most splendid Echo Deco anywhere.




Though if it had actually found a way to get funded, his unbuilt M-B Skyneedle project in Chicago probably would have taken top honors for me.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--9C6I8CucJ...le+Chicago.jpg
source: http://www.mrakodrapy.com/2012/07/nebeska-jehla.html

RIP. His towers changed skylines for the better.

Petronas Towers, Bank of America (Charlotte), Salesforce (San Francisco), Shanghai IFC, Goldman Sachs (Jersey City), Two International Finance Centre, and it goes on.

Very influential.

One of the great modern architects. An era is about to close :(

Christ, I loved Pelli's designs so much I don't even know where to start listing my favorite...

I'll be a homer and start with Ohio's tallest: Society/Key Tower, Cleveland; Wells Fargo in Minneapolis; 777 Building, Los Angeles; 2 IFC, Hong Kong; Salesforce, San Francisco; BofA, Charlotte

Probably several others that I'm missing. What a legacy, indeed.

His firm also worked on the new Frost Tower in San Antonio, which I think is one of the most beautiful new buildings in Texas.

The most noteworthy project his firm worked on in Austin is the Block 185 "Google Tower" that is under construction. This will be Austin's tallest office building once it's complete.

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net...45&oe=5DEA0EB6

It's not a "single" tower, but a single work: The World Financial Center.

Kevin Roche too. All died in a four month period and all three were geniuses

Each deserves their own thread

Going to be another sad day when A.M. Stern goes. Hopefully his health is still strong, at 80, but he is another legend. I feel like Stern is a love or hate relationship with some. Definitely has his critics, but IMO, up there as one of the best in the rankings.

i moved this thread to the buildings and architecture sub-forum because it seemed like an unnecessary indignation to commemorate this legendary architect's career in the same place where internet warriors just scream at each other about trump and AOC all day long.

My personal favourite building of his is this gem.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/30...f83e043348.jpg

Such a shame to see such a great architect go :(.