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Quote by I. M. Pei

“I haven't taken any new projects in the past years - I told myself, if I cannot live long enough to finish it, I don't want it.”

Quote by I. M. Pei

Author

I. M. Pei, born on April 26, 1917 in Jiangsu Province, China, is a renowned Chinese-American architect. His design style is characterized by simplicity and modernity, emphasizing the harmony between space and nature. Pei's works are scattered around the world, with some of his most famous projects including the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in the United States and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong. His architectural works not only embody the essence of Eastern philosophy but also integrate the concepts of modern Western architecture. more

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“I've been active all my life. In 1990 I retired from my firm, I.M. Pei & Partners, and for two years I didn't do much. Then I started to get kind of antsy, so I decided, I'm going to do some more work. And I chose to do work outside the U.S. because I've spent 45 years here and I wanted to learn more about what's happening in the rest of the world.”

World Years Kind Two Wanted Happenings Decided Work Out Active Partners Firm Two Years Retired

Author:I. M. Pei

“I travel to the Middle East, I travel to China, I travel to Europe. It's all very rewarding - the only problem is the travel is getting more and more difficult for me now. Ten years ago I would have enjoyed it a lot more.”

Years Problem Difficult Middle Ten Europe Years Ago China East Enjoyed Middle East

Author:I. M. Pei

“My projects have typically taken a long time to complete. Buildings might take on average about five to seven years to finish, but in my case it's been longer, because the projects I have accepted within the past 15 years have been mostly government projects, and those involve some politics and funding issues, and approvals and so forth. So they're slower.”

Years Long Has Beens Government Might Past Cases Issues Taken Five Building Projects Long Time Seven Average Accepted Approval Seven Years Funding

Author:I. M. Pei

“I was born in Suzhou, a city not very far from Shanghai. It's a very interesting town - there is a long artist's tradition there, especially during the Ming and Ching dynasties, which produced many, many scholars and painters and so forth. That's where my family lived for 600, 700 years.”

Years Long Artist Born Interesting Cities Tradition My Family Towns Painter Scholar Very Interesting Dynasty Shanghai

Author:I. M. Pei

“Luxembourg was and still is today a crossroads, the place where Germany meets the rest of Europe. The country lost part of its territory to Belgium in the 1800s, and during World Wars I and II the German military overran it. Very few people have visited Luxembourg - when I went there and looked at it, I said, my God, it's built on a rock. And within the rock they had a castle, and within the city there's a network of tunnels so the residents could move around and defend themselves. That was of great interest to me.”

People World Said Stills War Country Today Moving Lost Interest Cities Rocks Military Europe Built War Of The Worlds Germany Territory World War I Castles Tunnels Crossroads Residents Belgium

Author:I. M. Pei

“François Mitterrand was a student of architecture, he had done a lot of research before he called me. He said, "You did something special at the National Gallery of Art in Washington - you brought the new and the old together." But John Russell Pope finished the West Building in 1941, so when the East Building opened it was only about 40 years old. But the Louvre is 800 years old! A much bigger design challenge.”

Years Art Said Done Together Challenges Special Design Students Building Research Bigger West Finished East Architecture Pope Gallery Something Special Louvre

Author:I. M. Pei

“You cannot defend your design without knowing what you're designing for.”

Author:I. M. Pei

“I know something about the civilization of China, with my background, obviously, and I think I know something about American history. But that's about all. And I've traveled all over the world, and for a long time I didn't know very much about it, really.”

Thinking Knows World Long Civilization Long Time China Backgrounds American History Traveled

Author:I. M. Pei

“When I got the opportunity to do the new wing [the Schauhaus] for the German Historical Museum, for instance, I didn't see it as an opportunity for my own ego, to do something so exciting that every architectural publication would want to put it on the cover. I accepted it because I knew it was going to be a very difficult project, and I wasn't sure I could do something exciting there.”

Want Opportunity Difficult My Own Ego Projects Exciting Wings Historical Accepted Instance Museums Publication

Author:I. M. Pei

“Qatar does not have much history, it's a new emirate. So I couldn't draw on the history of the country; its history is really just being a desert. But I thought, the one thing I must learn about for this project is the Islamic faith. So I read about Islam and Islamic architecture, and the more I studied the more I realized where the best Islamic buildings were.”

Doe Country One Thing Building Projects Draws Islam Architecture I Realized Desert Islamic Just Being Qatar Emirates Islamic Faith

Author:I. M. Pei