HONG KONG -- I.M. Pei was the architectural force behind some of the world's most renowned buildings -- high-rises like the Bank of China tower in Hong Kong and public spaces like the East Building at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. His designs were challenging and diverse, ranging from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the U.S. city of Cleveland to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Pei is probably best known for his controversial but iconic glass and metal pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
This body of work makes Pei the top Chinese architect of modern times. Yet there has never been a comprehensive career retrospective. "We always tried to get him to do it," said Sandi Pei, his son, an architect who partnered with his brother Didi (who died in December) at New York-based Pei Architects, where their father continued working almost until his death at 102 five years ago. "He always refused," Sandi added.
