Customer Reviews

I.M. Pei: A Profile in American Architecture

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A very user-friendly book about this humble but undisputedbly one of the greatest architect of this century. The book is humane in the sense that it potrays I M Pei as the architect, & also, I M Pei the person behind the limelight. It's only fair to have his legacy left behind in all corners of the world signifying how irrelevant that is of what race you are to be regarded as a complete person & architect. His genius has transcends borders, cultures, & time. I couldn't help noticing that the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, & the shrine in Japan, & probably other masterpieces weren't included in the book. Perhaps it's time to have the book updated.

This book is ideal for the reader who enjoys the traditional format of architectural history. It contains background information, interesting stories behind some of I. M. Pei's most famous works, and a nice biographical sketch of the architect. Arguably, it is also one of the more "comprehensive" monogram that features Pei's architecture.

Although the photographs are beautiful, this book lacks depth if you are planning to study Pei's work. The plans are too small and are only mere fragments of the buildings. Photographs are artistically taken and fail to give a sense of the entire spatial composition of Pei's intricate design. None of the buildings are examined critically.

All in all, if you are looking for an entertaining reading then this book is ideal for you. But if you are looking into critically understanding Pei's work, then this book is really insufficient.

This is a book of the highest quality. It gives a very complete survey of I.M. Pei's development from student days at MIT and Harvard to his latest accomplishments. The text is well written and most enjoyable to read. The illustrations are outstanding - they complement the text in a most admirable manner and clarify many statements of the text for the reader. This is a book to cherish if one is fortunate enough to own it. I wish another edition would be printed.

When one thinks of the name I.M. Pei today, one's mind immediately goes to the Pyramid at the Louvre, Paris, or the Bank of China building in Hong Kong; perhaps one might think of the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. My first thought always goes to the Fine Arts Museum in Bloomington, Indiana, home of my undergraduate college - this building was still considered 'the new museum' when I started in 1982, and it became one of my favourite places on campus, not just because of the glorious collections housed there, but because of the interesting feel of the building architecturally, both inside and out. The kinds of angles and lines on the exterior are reminiscent of other gallery work of Pei; the interior with high-vaulted, complex-girder bounded windows as a lobby between the particular galleries on separate floors (mostly without windows, the better to protect the artwork) is a wonder to sit and contemplate.

This book traces I.M. Pei from his early days as a student (primarily at M.I.T. and Harvard) and protege of Zeckendorf, 'the most flamboyant real estate developer of his time' - Zeckendorf had one of the first car phones in the United States, almost half a century before cell phones would become commonplace. Zeckendorf and Pei made for an interesting team, going from bigger to bigger projects all over the world. However, in the end, Pei had to strike out on his own.

He had already begun to do this on projects like the Luce Memorial Chapel in Taiwan, whose angles and interior design were both inspired and inspirational, showing an unusual harmony of geometric form.

This book traces Pei through early struggles with less inspiring projects that he nonetheless managed to give creative flair, through to later projects that, having gained an international reputation, he could finally command with great creative freedom. He was now a recognised artist. He continued to do 'regular' work for corporations, schools, housing and municipal organisations, but he could also command the 'plum' jobs of significant and lasting structures.

Many of his works show a genius not only of design for the structures themselves but also an appreciation of the environment in which they are situated. Examples of this include the towers in Philadelphia, which soar over the much older buildings in the city without detracting from their own variety of 'Revolutionary' flair, and the Fragrant Hill Hotel in Beijing, which incorporated the Chinese sense of interconnectedness of buildings with gardens and nature.

This is a beautifully done book, with hundreds of illustrations throughout a text that is both informative and accessible, interesting in being written as a story and set of reminiscences rather than a straight architectural treatise.

This is a good overview of Pei, providing insights into his background, approach and achievements. More imporantly, it outlines the broad steps from concept to implementation -- especially his work to recreate the Louvre in Paris where he had to appease 51 million Xenophobic clients. Very engrossing book, well written, though one misses Pei's own direct input.

CONTENTS
Introduction 10
Chapter 1 An Orderly Enigma 14
Chapter 2 China, MIT, and Harvard (1917--48): The Shaping of an Architect 28
Chapter 3 The Zeckendorf Days (1948--60): Learning to Think Big 46
Chapter 4 The National Center for Atmospheric Research (1961--67): The Journey from Planning to Form 72
Chapter 5 The John F. Kennedy Library (1964--79): Gateway to Fame 92
Chapter 6 The Dallas Municipal Administration Center (1966--77): Symbol for a City 120
Chapter 7 The John Hancock Tower (1966--76): A Near Fatal Beauty 138
Chapter 8 The East Building of the National Gallery (1968--78): The Power of Art, Taste, and Money 154
Chapter 9 The Fragrant Hill Hotel (1979--82): You Can't Quite Go Home Again 184
Chapter 10 The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (1979--86): The Wages of Politics and Technology 208
Chapter 11 Le Grand Louvre (1983--89): The Battle of the Pyramid 228
Chapter 12 1989: "The Year of Pei" 262
Notes 302
Bibliography 304
Catalogue of Works 306
Index 312
Acknowledgments 319
Photograph Credits 320

I am a software engineer, but I love modern architectures. I.M. Pei is my favorite architect, this book gives me a lot of background information about some of the most important buildings Pei designed (do I still need to list some of them?!). I enjoyed reading the book so much.

But that's not your fault. Otherwise, Product was in perfect condition, Thanks!