Selected Topics in Architecture – The American Museums of I.M. Pei: Radical Geometry

Starting with a commission in Syracuse in 1961, I.M. Pei embarked upon a sub-career of museum design. With his strong sense of geometric forms, and his attachment to the plasticity of concrete,Pei’s Everson Museum was a sculptural tour de force.  His next commission came for an addition to the Des Moines Art Center, and both of the facilities opened in quick succession in 1968 to great acclaim.  His performance on these projects earned him a commission from Cornell University for their new art museum.   Ultimately, this sequence of three museums served as the resume that earned him the commission for the expansion of the National Gallery in Washington – and the resulting East Wing.  In this session, we will explore the importance of geometry and form in Pei’s work, and the variety of materials he used to complete these world-renowned projects.