When it comes to famous buildings in Hong Kong, you might think of the Bank of China Tower. But do you know who designed the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong?
That is the ingenious masterpiece by the world-renowned Chinese-American architect, Mr. I. M. Pei, inspired by the “rising to greatness” concept of bamboo, symbolizing its continuous thriving. Architectural master I. M. Pei (1917–2019), whose career spanned seven decades in the industry, will have his first major retrospective exhibition “I. M. Pei: Life As Architecture” held at the M+ Museum this June, meticulously showcasing his works and reflecting on his legendary life.
About Ieoh Ming Pei
Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei (1917–2019) was an influential figure in 20th and 21st-century architecture. Born in Guangzhou, he moved to Hong Kong in 1918, grew up in Shanghai and Suzhou, and started studying architecture in the United States in 1935. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before obtaining a master’s degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. In 1983, he became the fifth Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate and was acclaimed as the “last master of high modernist architecture.”
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The architectural projects of Ieoh Ming Pei have always been highly regarded. Starting in 1948 with projects like Kips Bay Plaza, Lihak Center, and Assos Mountain, he established his own office in 1960. He was responsible for major public commission projects such as the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the Everson Museum of Art, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the East Building of the National Gallery of Art, Bank of China Tower, Fragrant Hill Hotel, Hongkong Bank Building, and the modernization project of the Louvre in Paris. His designs have spanned across various regions, continuously expanding his international influence, ultimately solidifying Ieoh Ming Pei’s prominent position in architectural history and popular culture.
After retiring from the office, continue to take on projects in your personal capacity, such as the MIHO Art Museum, Suzhou Museum, Islamic Art Museum, and finally the MIHO School Chapel. His life and career are intertwined with power dynamics, complex geopolitics, cultural traditions, and diverse urban styles from around the world, creating a rich and colorful experience.
About “Ieoh Ming Pei: Life as Architecture”
This exhibition is co-curated by M+ design and architecture curator Wang Lei and Chen Bokang, director and artistic director of The New Institute in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It showcases over three hundred exhibits, including a series of drawings, architectural models, photographs, videos, and other archival records from institutional or private collections, among which many are presented for the first time.
The exhibition is divided into six main themes: “Ieoh Ming Pei’s Cross-Cultural Heritage,” “Real Estate and Urban Redevelopment,” “Art and Public Architecture,” “Power, Politics, and Appreciation,” “Material Improvement and Structural Innovation,” and “Historical Reinterpretation as Design Strategy.” By exploring Ieoh Ming Pei’s life and work up close, it not only fully demonstrates his unique architectural techniques but also juxtaposes his works with society, culture, and the trajectory of his life, showing the inseparable connection between architecture and life.
In order to help the new generation of architecture students better understand the works of I.M. Pei, M+ collaborates with the architecture schools of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. They invite students from both schools to focus on the design of high-rise buildings and cultural spaces. In conjunction with the exhibition, the publisher Thames & Hudson will jointly publish “I.M. Pei: Life as Architecture” with M+ in June 2024, showcasing familiar or little-known anecdotes from Pei’s life and career in a total of 400 pages with 471 color images. M+’s museum director, Suhanya Raffel, said:
This special exhibition will open to the public at the M+ West Hall on June 29, 2024 (Saturday), with exhibition details and ticketing arrangements to be announced at the end of April 2024.
