César Pelli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
César Pelli
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Pelli in 2010
|
|
| Born | October 12, 1926 San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
|
| Died | July 19, 2019 (aged 92) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
|
| Citizenship |
|
| Alma mater |
|
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards |
|
| Practice |
|
| Buildings |
|
| Design |
Modern architecture with material, formal, and contextual variety and no personal signature style
|
César Pelli (born October 12, 1926 – died July 19, 2019) was an Argentine-American architect. He is famous for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other important city landmarks. Two of his most well-known buildings are the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the World Financial Center in New York City. The American Institute of Architects called him one of the ten most important living American architects in 1991. They also gave him the AIA Gold Medal in 1995, which is a very high honor.
Contents
Life and Education
César Pelli was born on October 12, 1926, in San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina. His mother was a teacher. He studied architecture at the National University of Tucumán and graduated in 1949. After that, he worked on designing homes that were affordable.
In 1952, Pelli moved to the United States. He continued his studies at the University of Illinois School of Architecture. He earned his Master of Science degree in Architecture in 1954.
He married Diana Balmori, who was a well-known landscape architect. They worked together at his company. They had two sons, Denis and Rafael. Rafael also became a famous architect, just like his father.
Career Highlights
Early Work
After finishing his studies, Pelli worked for a famous architect named Eero Saarinen for ten years. During this time, he helped design important buildings like the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport. He also worked on colleges at Yale University.
In 1964, Pelli became a design director at a firm in Los Angeles. He later joined Gruen Associates in 1968. In 1975, he completed his first landmark building, the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California. People in the area called it the "Blue Whale" because of its bright blue color. Pelli also designed the United States Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, which was finished in 1975. While working in Los Angeles, he also taught architecture at UCLA.
Leading His Own Firm
In 1977, Pelli became the dean of the Yale School of Architecture. This is a very important leadership role. Soon after, he won a big project to design an expansion for the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This led him to start his own company, Cesar Pelli & Associates.
His firm completed many major projects during this time. The Museum of Modern Art expansion was finished in 1984. The World Financial Center in New York, which includes a large public space called the Winter Garden, was completed in 1988. Other notable buildings from this period include the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Global Recognition
.jpg)
In 1991, the American Institute of Architects named Pelli one of the most influential American architects. In 1995, he received their highest honor, the Gold Medal.
During this period, Pelli designed buildings that used new materials like stainless steel. He also continued to develop his ideas for skyscrapers. A very important project was the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. These twin towers were completed in 1997. They are covered in stainless steel and have designs inspired by Islamic art. The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world until 2004. For this design, Pelli received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. In 2005, his firm changed its name to Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. This was to show the important roles of his partners, Fred W. Clarke and his son Rafael.
Later Achievements
In 2006, the Cira Centre in Philadelphia opened. Pelli also designed the larger plan for the area around it, called Cira Centre South.
Pelli designed several cultural buildings during this time. These include the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, and the Minneapolis Central Library. Both opened in 2006. He also designed office towers in Asia and South America. In 2012, the Red Building was added to the Pacific Design Center, completing the three-building complex Pelli started designing 40 years earlier.
In 2008, Yale University gave Pelli an honorary Doctor of Arts degree. He also received the Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on tall buildings.
Some of his major projects completed in the 2010s include The Landmark in Abu Dhabi. In 2018, the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco was finished. This tower was named the world's best tall building in 2019.
Death
César Pelli passed away on July 19, 2019, at his home in New Haven, Connecticut. He was 92 years old.
Works
See also
In Spanish: César Pelli para niños
