Ieoh Ming Pei, considered to be the last of the modernist architects, was born in China in 1917, came to the United States when he was 17 to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning his Bachelor of Architecture degree from MIT in 1940. He became a U.S. citizen in 1954. He formed his own architectural firm in 1955 which today has become Pei Cobb Freed and Partners.
Fountain Place (south view). Photo by Leslie Wagner
One of the most iconic works attributed to I. M. Pei is the Louvre Pyramids in Paris, France. I’ve seen the amazing structure firsthand and if you recall the scene from The Da Vinci Code, it consists of a complex configuration of glass triangles and metal which supports the structure and boggles the mind. I’m sure the movie was going for effect and played it up a bit, and it will only make you dizzy if you have a fear of heights – or of being sucked into a glass window on a rooftop.
I. M. Pei is world renowned and has left his mark on Dallas. Structures designed by I. M. Pei and built in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex include:
Dallas City Hall, at 1500 Marilla Street, which was completed in 1977. It's an unusual building, the broad heavy top balanced on its narrow base.
One , at 350 N. St. Paul, serves as an office building,
Energy Plaza, originally the ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) Tower at 1601 Bryan Street, was designed by I. M. Pei and H. Cobb as and office building and general headquarters for ARCO. It was completed in 1983.
Fountain Place, which is now the First Interstate Bank Tower at 1445 Ross Avenue, was also dreamed up with the help of H. Cobb, and completed in 1986. It was originally the Allied Bank Tower. It gets its name from the public water gardens at its base.
Dallas City Hall. Photo by Leslie Wagn
Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Centerat 2301 Flora Street was completed in 1989. H. Ross Perot was a major financial contributor to the project, but preferred to honor his second in command and Electronic Data Systems (EDS) successor, Mort Meyerson.
The Mobil Exploration and Production Research Laboratory at 4140 Sigma Road, in Farmers Branch was completed in 1983.
Finally, I. M. Pei designed the Tandy Residence in Fort Worth, renamed the Hunter Barrett Residence by its new owner, was completed in 1969. Neither images nor the address of the home were readily available.
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