I. M.

Pei
The solid is for the dead, but the transparent is for the living I.M. Pei

Submitted by:
Tanya Pahwa 2K6/Arch/628

Introduction

Ieoh Ming Pei (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. He works with the abstract form, using stone, concrete, glass, and steel. Pei was considered a master of curtain glass construction in the 1980s.

Significant buildings:

Louvre Pyramid, Bank of China Tower, Javits Convention Center, East Building, National Gallery of Art

His Philosophy and Modernism

I. M. Pei is both an enigma to and inspiration for the modern architectural world. Described as playful, soft-spoken, and humble, Pei is ironically regarded as the figurehead of modern architecture. From his designs, it is apparent why he is such a celebrated creative genius. Although he is remembered for his buildings, I. M. Pei's greatest influence on the architectural world is his philosophy of design. Just as his designs integrate aesthetics with functionality, Pei himself epitomizes the resolution of both an artist and engineer. He believed that the only issue of contemporary concern was life itself; buildings were created as living spaces -- spaces of activity and thought -rather than static monuments. To the architectural world, Pei legacy is his belief that architecture "is the mirror of life itself. He understood the importance of architecture's role in the cultural experience. "I've been subjected - I think that's the word - to that music for years by my children. -- I. M. Pei

Late-Modern architecture and I.M. Pei

Late Modernist architecture is an extension of modernism. It was an architecture in which the images, ideas, and motifs of the Modern Movement were taken to extremes, structure, technology, and services being grossly overstated at a time when Modernism was being questioned. It evolved from modernism attempting to overcome its inadequacies and aimed to overlook its shortcomings. It takes care of the human sentiment consciously and ensures that the architecture gains public acceptability. Pei's creations exhibit geometric exactness and abstract aesthetics. Above all, Pei's focus in architecture has been to integrate the artistic aspects of design with modern-day functionality. Late Modernism avoided the international style that failed to transform society and was rejected by the people. Charles Jencks defined late modernism as : Pragmatic and technocratic. It takes many of the stylistic ideas of modernism to extremes in order to resuscitate a dull for dying language which can be seen in Peis buildings.

Moreover, late modernism believed that anonymous looking buildings have very ineffective communication. Architects must tend to make them interesting. Public was once again acknowledged as a participant in the act of architecture, one whose voice cannot be ignored. Late Modernism was determined not to be boring like modernism and made conscious efforts to be interesting always. It aimed at reversal of the Modernist box, distortion of the box and the exaggeration of the building. The rectilinearity of the building was not to be highlighted.

Pei as a LATE MODERNIST >>

Buildings that speak of Peis understanding of modernism

From West 36th Street looking West

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is a large convention center located on Eleventh Avenue, on the West side of Manhattan in New York City. The revolutionary space frame structure was built in 1986 and named for United States Senator Jacob K. Javits, who died that year.

Views of the Convention Centre

West (Hudson River) side

Western side

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from a distance

Front (east side) of the convention center

Javits Convention Center Commentary

Date 1979 to 1986 Building Type convention center

Construction Syst steel and glass, space frame em

Climate temperate
Details Enormous expanse of glass-clad, space frame enclosed space, Area: 22 acres "The exterior of this mammoth, five-block long building is an assemblage of rectilinear forms, all shaped by a framework of prefabricated steel modules fitted with clear glass. Inside, the structure is supported by tubular steel pillars that resemble chunky champagne glasses. At its south end there's a spectacular 150-foot-high lobby, dubbed the crystal palace. Also housed within the center's 1.8 million square feet: a 2,500 seat auditorium and acres of exhibition halls and meeting rooms." from Sylvia Hart Wright. Sourcebook of Contemporary North American Architecture: From Postwar to Postmodern. Pg 93.

Views

From 11th Avenue looking North

From 11th Avenue looking West

PYRAMID DE LOUVRE
Spectacular in concept and form, pyramids provide a startling reminder of the audacious ability of modern architects to invigorate and re-circulate traditional architectural forms... Dennis Sharp. Twentieth Century Architecture: a Visual History. Pg 407.

Pyramide du Louvre Commentary

Probably the pice de rsistance of Pei's extraordinary legacy to modernism, his sense of quiet good taste, consummate attention to detail, and clarity of concept is his intervention into the Cour Napoleon at the Louvre. Beneath the new, elegantly 'hard' and restrained surface of the Cour is accommodated a vast new program of 650,000 square feet of much-needed support spaces for the Louvre. Poised as perfect complement and counterpoint. The three much smaller flanking pyramids seem aesthetically gratuitous. Through simplicity the new stands with the old, each acknowledging the other. from Paul Heyer. American Architecture: Ideas and Ideologies in the Late Twentieth Century. Pg 275-278

The atrium space leads to the exhibition galleries on several levels. The plans of the buildings based on triangular forms makes for complex, interesting spatial relationships. Balconies overlook the atrium, where a skylight roof floods the space with light. The color scheme established by its marble wall surfaces is neutral but is enlivened by the bright red of the mobiles (moving sculptures) by Alexander Calder.
Aerial View

Peis Approach

The Pei Pyramids, as they have come to be known, are surrounded by a triad of reflecting pools and serve as the entrance and focal point of the museum's exterior. The critically acclaimed design of the pyramids exemplifies Pei futuristic style -- a sophisticated play with light, volume, and geometry. The project was also seen as a turning point in French architecture, encouraging the structure's integration into the urban environment of Paris. The concept behind the Pei Pyramids was, according to the architect himself, to create a modern space without taking away from the elegance of the existing structure. The triangular geometry of the pyramid encompasses a small, unobtrusive volume, yet creates a distinct space that captures light and has surface identification. Similarly, by using the Egyptian concept of the pyramids, the new structure would be both more ancient and more modern than the existing Louvre.

The public Space acts as a new entrance to the many traditional spaces that make up the famous museum. Although it inspired much doubt and controversy, the glass and metal structure has come to be recognized as a great success. Glimpses of the surrounding renaissance architecture are set off by the pyramidal geometry.

The structure, which was constructed entirely with glass segments, reaches a height of about 70 feet; its square base has sides of 35 meters (115 ft). It consists of 603 rhombus-shaped and 70 triangular glass segments. The main Pyramid is basically a complex inter-linked steel structure sheathed in reflective glass. In fact it is an entrance doorway providing a long-overdue entrance portico to the main galleries of the Louvre. As one descends into the interior entrance foyer, the dramatic nature of the intervention becomes apparent.

The main Pyramid, which certainly disturbs the balance of the old Louvre courtyard, is countered by two smaller pyramids, which provide further light and ventilation to the subterranean spaces.

An almost ephemeral presence derives from an ingeniously conceived triangular web of supports, clad in a wonderful warm ochre, lightly tinted glass that is compatible with the honeycolored stone of the Second Empire facades of the old Louvre. The pyramid and the underground lobby underneath it were created because of a series of problems with the Louvre's original main entrance, which could no longer handle an enormous number of visitors on an everyday basis. Visitors entering through the pyramid descend into the spacious lobby then re-ascend into the main Louvre buildings.

East Building, National Gallery of Art, Washington

The design of the East Building by architect I.M. Pei is sharply geometrical, fragmented or faceted compared to the West Building's cool classicism; from above, the East Building appears as if made of interlocking prisms.

The East Building focuses on modern and contemporary art, with a collection including works by Picasso, Henri Matisse, Pollock, Warhol and Alexander Calder. The East Building also contains the main offices of the NGA and a large research facility, Center for the Advanced Study in the Visual Arts.

Peis Words:
The site itself was challenging because it was 'located at the intersection of two avenues: Pennsylvania and Constitution. These two important avenues have different height limitations. We had to accommodate both which was done by creating 'three small three-story towers... to become three 'house museums' for different exhibitions which could be interconnected to accommodate one large exhibition (if the occasion arises).
The 'house museum' occurred to me after a visit to the Poldi Pezzoli museum in Milan. It has ' a stair that connects three levels. It has a human scale rarely found in museums. By incorporating this idea into the east building, We reduced the scale of a large museum and at the same time increased flexibility.'

I. M. Pei. Early conceptual sketch for building plan

An aerial view, looking toward the capitol, of the East and West Buildings of the National Gallery of Art

East Building, 4th Street faade

The building exemplifies the intricate and exact geometric designs used to define
spatial volumes, a characteristic evident in Pei's style of modern architecture.

Section of upper level

Final Building Form

Sculptural expressive form consciously takes care that the form is not boring by the use of skilful geometry. Three towers were beginning to emerge at the corners of the isosceles triangle, balancing the eastwest axis of the West Building.

Stepping down the geometry for light

Conceptual drawing by architect I. M. Pei, showing the elevations of the National Gallery buildings in relation to that of the United States Capitol 'a very public building located in the most public of places (which) had to relate to the other public buildings (surrounding it), especially to the west wing by John Russell Pope... the east building was designed to complement the west building to make the whole a better functioning modern museum.'

Detail of a corner of the East Building

Interior view of the East Building

Bank Of China Tower, Hongkong

Night View of the Tower

Pei had to grapple with 'feng shui' when he designed the bank of china tower in hong kong in 1982. As soon as the design was made public, pei was immediately attacked - for instance, the building had too many sharp corners which would bring bad luck to one's neighbours. But the real challenge for pei was architectural. the building was placed on a incredibly small and difficult site, surrounded by a heavily trafficked roadway...there was no possibility to make an entrance, so he proposed to create a new road at the back of the site. The site did have one important advantage as it was located just out of the airport flight path, the new building was not restricted by the height limit... a tall building would permit to overlook some of the most prestigious buildings in Hongkong... the next challenge was...how to make it structurally expressive.'

A
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A
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V I E W

The Bank of China Tower is one of the most recognized skyscrapers in Central, Hong Kong. It houses the headquarters for the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited.

Bank of China Tower Commentary

Location Hong Kong
Date 1982 to 1990 Building Type skyscraper, commercial office tower Construction steel frame, glass curtain wall System Climate tropical Context urban Graceful, concise and structurally expressive, Details Triangular stepped-back plan, 369 meters high, 72 floors.

Triangular bracing and step-backs are structural adaptations to the high wind loads caused by Hong Kong typhoons. The building consists of four vertical shafts that incrementally diminish quadrant by quadrant with increasing tower height, until a single prism remains. The prismatic building features mirrors that reflect the image of the sky and maintains a distinct vertical axis in the midst of Hong Kong's central business district.

Sculpture Wing of the Des Moines Art Center in Des Moines, Iowa

I.M. Peis 1968 building with reflecting pool

Peis proposal for an addition to the Art Center was seemingly simple: a wing built across the open end of Saarinens U-shaped building on its south side. By choosing this gently sloping site, Pei was able to design a dramatic two-story gallery with a spectacular south-facing facade without over-whelming Saarinens low-lying building. In fact, the Pei addition is all but invisible from the front approach to the museum. Only the dramatic V-shaped butterfly roof section above the main floor hints at what lies beyond the original building. Peis design for the Des Moines Art Center addition, drew heavily on the severe, geometric concrete forms. It incorporates the fullness of scale, allowing for large interior spaces for the exhibition of sculpture. Peis plan called for three sculpture exhibition areas: a large gallery on the main floor overlooking a two-story gallery on the lower level and a small gallery at the west end of the main floor. An auditorium was designed for the space immediately under the main floor gallery. Among the additions more noteworthy architectural details are the two stairways connecting the main- and lower-level galleries. One is a wide-open walkway, the other a tight circular stair that offers an intimate view to the park beyond. Also of note is the butterfly roof section that allows natural light to fill the remaining galleries and the dramatically sculpted walls enclosing the courtyard. To keep the slab walls throughout the Art Center addition from becoming monolithic, the concrete surfaces were bushhammered to a very rough finish, which establishes a strong affinity with the rough-hewn Lannon stone in Saarinens original building. On a lighter side, though Pei has always denied it, it has been observed that the windows on the south face of the addition appear to spell out the architects name.

Miho Museum, Shiga, Japan

Since the site was considered to be a sacred place, once chosen to be the site for an important temple, we took great care in planning the museum with minimum disturbance of the surrounding nature.
This is a building built in our times... but I had the responsibility to respect the tradition that has developed through the centuries. -- I. M. Pei

Miho Museum, Shiga, Japan

In 1991, Pei was commissioned to design a museum to house a private art collection. The site for the Miho Museum was in the Shigaraki mountains in Japan. The structure of the building is mostly underground, but rather than digging into the earth, 'which is a very expensive and slow method, especially given the seismic problems to be faced, the decision was made that it was easier to remove the earth, build the building, and then put the earth (and the same kind of trees) back. As a consequence, the building is in harmony with this particular site and it blends with nature. In Peis opinion, one cannot separate the two from each other. Peis Words : The second challange pei faced was how to meld 'tradition with modernity', creating a building that was rooted in Japan's cultural history - Pei drew inspiration from large farmhouses of the Edo period while rendering it a stable, luminous and spacious space, using steel, glass and aluminum.

Bibliography

E-book: Modern Architecture By Alan Colquhoun Encyclopedia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite E-book: Encyclopedia of 20th century Architecture, R. Stephen Sennott E-book: Frommer's Europe by Rail By Beth Reiber, Amy Eckert, George McDonald, Hana Mastrini, Olivia Edward. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/20th_design.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_China_Tower,_Hong_Kong http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Bank_of_China.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_M_Pei http://www.flickr.com/photos/browndog21/154407828/ http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bank%20of%20china&w=all&s=int http://www.designboom.com/portrait/pei_shiga.html http://www.brain-juice.com/cgi-bin/show_wok.cgi?p_id=111&w_id=314 http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/im_pei/