I.M. Pei, World-Renowned Architect, Is Dead at 102
 

New York Times: I.M. Pei, World-Renowned Architect, Is Dead at 102

I used to see him maybe once a month, during lunch. We frequented the same restaurant.

He supposedly sat in the same seat for lunch almost every workday. Would have pasta and chinotto.

:( RIP

Can't complain about making it to 102, however!

I am a fan. Upon hearing I wasn't surprised it was his time, but had no idea he was 102! We'll see you on the other side...

These prominent architects live a long time..

Oscar Niemeyer lived to be 104; Philip Johnson,98; John Portman, 93; Frank Lloyd Wright, 91

César Pelli is still alive at 92; Frank Gehry, alive at 90

I'm hoping AM Stern stays strong and healthy at 79. A favorite among the NY crowd here.

Shame we lost Zaha Hadid so early. Damn shame. :(

Saw this today in the New York Times website. Didn’t know he designed the famous glass pyramid for the Louvre among other buildings. A great legacy.

Their legacy lives on. So they are really never forgotten. Some are in the great books of architecture, and within their work.

Wow didn't realize he was still alive!

One of his buildings (building 54 at MIT) was the backdrop for my wedding.

This will forever be one of my favourite skyscrapers:


https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/20...dezeen_sq2.jpg
https://www.dezeen.com/2017/04/26/ar...ant-buildings/




While his stainless steel Commerce Court West tower is a local favourite:

https://sl2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/us...jpg?1522940319
https://www.spacelist.ca/listings/18...400-199_bay_st

When I turned 14 (1990), I was given Carter Wiseman's monograph of Pei. I was already interested in buildings, but it got me interested in architecture (there's a big difference). Over the last 30 years, I've been lucky enough to see a the vast majority of his works, signature and otherwise. Cobb and Freed are amazing architects in their own right, but Pei was the soul.

One of my favorite relatively unknown facts:
Did you know that he designed over 50 FAA control towers in the 1960s and 70s?

His Bank of China was really something. I still feel like that building and Fountain Place are two of the most iconic skyscrapers of that decade. Bank of China was also the first supertall built outside of the US. He also designed the Chase Bank Tower in Houston, the tallest in Texas.

The only Austin project his firm worked on was the SXSW Center that is near completion now.

https://www.1400lavaca.com/#building

https://pcfandtypecodewebstuff.s3.am...-1600x1200.jpg
https://www.pcf-p.com/projects/south...-headquarters/

Mr. Pei was nice enough to grace the Miami skyline with this gem :

https://www.miamism.com/sites/miamis...?itok=WWivgHd3
https://www.miamism.com/sites/miamis...?itok=WWivgHd3

https://live.staticflickr.com/8573/1...81aa52ea_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/8573/1...81aa52ea_b.jpg

RIP

His most prominent Parisian buildings

Louvre pyramid
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...y_2011-27a.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre...y_2011-27a.jpg

EDF tower
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...x-Tour_edf.jpg
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_E...e:Tour_edf.jpg

one of the best skyscrapers that has ever, or will ever, be built.

a true masterpiece.