Mr. Pei's Perfect Shapes

Description

As a boy, Ioeh Ming Pei and his grandfather explored the gardens of Suzhou, where rock farmers placed giant boulders in streams for them to take shape over hundreds of years. He imagined building something that lasted as long. At age ten, Ioeh Ming and his family moved to Shanghai, where he was awestruck by the enormous buildings being constructed all around. He realized exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up—an architect who designed skyscrapers that touched the clouds!

I. M. Pei set off to make his mark, and with his appealingly modern ideas, he found himself with many clients—including museums, international corporations, and even Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Everyone wanted I. M. Pei to design their buildings. Though his plans weren’t always immediately popular, his legacy has endured and his structures can still be seen all around the world, like the JFK Library, East Building of the National Gallery of Art, Louvre Pyramid, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.