The famous architect IM Pei, the father of the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre, died at the age of 102.
Yeoh Ming Pei was born in 1917 in Guangzhou, China. At the age of 18, he moved to the United States, where he studied architecture, too at Harvard. During World War II, he worked as a researcher for the US government, then pursued a career as an architect and founded his own firm in 1955. He was famous for exceptional precision, the use of geometry, refined designs and a sense of natural light.
One of the most prolific architects of the 20th century, he designed many townhouses, schools, hotels and other buildings throughout America, Asia and Europe. His style is described as modernist with a touch of cubist themes, and he was also influenced by his love of Islamic architecture. His favorite building materials were glass and steel combined with concrete. Controversy, especially among the French, was sparked by s the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre. They described it as an "annex to Disneyland", and they were also disturbed by the fact that someone who is not French was chosen to restore such a monumental building. The construction, completed in 1989, is today one of the most famous Parisian landmarks.
There are other recognizable works of his City Hall in Dallas, the Miho Museum in Japan, and the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. Pei continued his work even in his old age and created one of the greatest masterpieces at that time, Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha, Qatar – at the age of 86.
Gallery: The most iconic buildings in the world by architect IM Pei
