I.M. Pei: An Artist with Chinese Roots Who Inspired the World

During a recent visit to New York City this past week, I stumbled upon the gorgeous treasure of the Four Seasons Hotel, located in Midtown, between Park and Madison Avenues. This encounter prompted some curiosity and inspired some research, revealing that this beautiful hotel was an architectural masterpiece designed by Chinese architect and visionary, I. M. Pei. Pei was born in 1917 in Guangzhou, China as Ieoh Ming Pei to Tsu Yee Pei and Lien Kwun. He moved quite frequently in the earlier years of his life, to Hong Kong and finally to Shanghai, where he spent most of his childhood. As a young boy surrounded by the growing cityscape of Shanghai, Pei was sparked by a love of design that led to a dream to become an architect, engineer, and draftsman. At 17, he went to study architecture in the United States at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. He went on to receive a Master’s degree from the Graduate School of Architecture at Harvard.

During his brilliant career in the United States, Pei spearheaded many projects and visions for the modernization of cities, including Boston, Los Angeles, Denver, and Washington, D.C. He designed the John Hancock Tower, the Reagan Medical Center at UCLA, the East Building of the National Gallery, and the 16th Street Mall. Outside the United States, he expanded his works to other nations, which included the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong.

In 2000, his life went full circle, when Pei was asked to return to China to begin construction of a new museum, located in his ancestral town of Suzhou, to be filled with ancient pottery, art, and calligraphy. It is fascinating how the initial seed planted as a young boy in China was cultivated in the United States, but was able to blossom in China once again with the construction of this Suzhou Museum, which has been open to the public since 2006. In perhaps his greatest challenge, Pei had to integrate the classical architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties with his modern repertoire of design, functionality, innovation, and creativity.

After we completed our informal tour of the Four Seasons Hotel, I was mesmerized with its beautiful sleek design, high ceilings, expansive entryway and lobby, and its modern vibe and energy. Many of the exotic designs on the walls and floors show Pei’s attention to detail and bespoke craftsmanship. Pei was an artist inspired by his Chinese roots—roots that brought beauty and extraordinary creativity to all his buildings, bringing visitors from near and far. His vision and lasting contributions will live forever in bustling cities and urban skylines everywhere.

 

Some of this information was based on the following sources:

“I. M. Pei Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, www.notablebiographies.com/Ni-Pe/Pei-I-M.html. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017.

“I. M. Pei: Building China Modern.” American Masters, PBS Channel Thirteen, www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/i-m-pei-building-china-modern/1542/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017.