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I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity.
I. M. Pei
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I. M. Pei
Age: 102 †
Born: 1917
Born: April 26
Died: 2019
Died: May 16
Architect
Canton
Ieoh Ming Pei
Yuming Bei
Yü-Ming Pei
Bèi Yù Míng
Bei Yu Ming
IM Pei
I.M. Pei
Art
Become
Must
Believe
Pragmatic
Necessity
Architecture
Foundation
Built
More quotes by 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.
I. M. Pei
I didn't want to think about a project that I couldn't finish. That's a kind of temptation. One has to realize one's limitations. Why kid yourself?
I. M. Pei
Design is something you have to put your hand to.
I. M. Pei
Let's do it right. This is for the ages.
I. M. Pei
Life is architecture and architecture is the mirror of life.
I. M. Pei
For Kips Bay, I had a wonderful client, William Zeckendorf, who was willing to gamble with me on using concrete and not brick for a high-rise apartment building. That was very innovative at the time.
I. M. Pei
I cannot work and listen to Wagner at the same time, nor Mahler, nor Beethoven's late quartets. I enjoy listening to Chopin's piano music when I work.
I. M. Pei
I want to bring out the best in a community and contribute something of permanent value.
I. M. Pei
Success is a collection of problems solved.
I. M. Pei
Contemporary architects tend to impose modernity on something. There is a certain concern for history but it’s not very deep. I understand that time has changed, we have evolved. But I don’t want to forget the beginning. A lasting architecture has to have roots.
I. M. Pei
At home, I have a wife, fortunately, and my children are all grown, and I have many grandchildren. I spend weekends with my grandchildren I adore them.
I. M. Pei
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.
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.
I. M. Pei
Architecture is the very mirror of life.You only have to cast your eyes on buildings to feel the presence of the past, the spirit of a place they are the reflection of society.
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.
I. M. Pei
Stop worrying about missed opportunities and start looking for new ones.
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.
I. M. Pei