Throughout his career, Mr. Pei favored simple materials and simple shapes for the basis of his elegant designs. When it came to securing his commissions, Mr. Pei’s personal skills were just as important as his architectural abilities. Do you always have those?” Mr. Pei responded, “Oh no, we only got those for you.”1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Modernist architect I.M. The outbreak of World War II and the communist takeover in China prevented Mr. Pei from returning to his homeland. Mr. Pei was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1979, and the Pritzker Award for architectural excellence in 1983.

Source: Washington Post May 16, 2019 22:28 UTC