Rethinking I.M. Pei

On Dec 14-15, a symposium themed “Rethinking Pei: A Centenary Symposium” traced the life and work of Ieoh Ming Pei.

Organized by M+ and the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Architecture, this symposium brought together key people in Pei’s life, including Sandi Pei in one session. It is presented with two days of anecdotal 20 to 30 minute talks followed by a roundtable discussion.

“Pei is one of the 20th century’s greatest architects, yet there is little scholarship on him,” admits Aric Chen, M+’s lead curator for design and architecture. “I am not sure how well he is understood. A lot of that is Pei’s own doing — he is a modest figure. And though he was born in China, he spent most of his life in the US and is considered an American architect. His childhood stayed with him though — in the way he tried to negotiate the two parts of his identity in terms of notions of space, such as through his Chinese gardens.”

By gathering together the people who knew Pei best, Chen and co-organizer HKU associate professor Cole Roskam explored the path that led the architect to his many groundbreaking works and achievements. “Pei was a pioneer in establishing the corporate global firm,” argues Chen. “One of our speakers is Marjorie Yang Mun-tak, chairman of Esquel Group. Her family commissioned Pei for Fragrant Hill Hotel, his first project in China and one that marked a return here.”

Chen believes that Pei sits at the center of many ideas, phenomena and moments of the 20th century. “We are realizing more and more the complexity and depth of his oeuvre,” he states. “There is not just one Pei, but many. BOC Tower is one of the two or three defining buildings of Hong Kong’s Central — and was more so when it was first built since there were not so many tall buildings surrounding it. The tower is a legible and elegant building that was by necessity tall due to the low budget and the program it needed to fill. It is a striking building for Hong Kong — one of bold clarity.”