I.M. Pei's 100th birthday today! In celebration of the 100th birthday of Chinese-American legendary architect, the National Gallery of Art will host a public talk today at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

Literally known as Ieoh Ming Pei, the legendary modernist architect was born in April 26, 1917 in Guangzhou, China and commonly recognized with his strict geometries, playing with squares, circles, triangles in an harmonized form and variation of style. 

National Gallery of Art East building 4th Street facade. Image courtesy of National Gallery of Art

I.M. Pei designed the National Gallery of Art East Building by harmonizing with architect John Russell Pope's neoclassical West Building, which opened in 1978 to the public. Therefore, Susan Wertheim, chief architect and deputy administrator for capital projects, National Gallery of Art, will honor Pei's National Gallery of Art East Building as it is conceived as the modern idiom of his time. 

National Gallery of Art - East Building - Washington DC. Image by mbell1975/Flickr

The public talk will also feature architect Perry Y. Chin, who was an associate of I.M. Pei & Associates for a long time. Magnificently realizing the long-term vision of Gallery founder Andrew W. Mellon and his children, Paul Mellon and Ailsa Mellon Bruce, the East Building has taken its place as one of the great public structures in the nation's capital. 

Designed at a crucial point in Pei’s long and productive career, the East Building won the American Institute of Architect’s Twenty-five Year Award in 2004, and Pei, considered a living legend, was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1983. Wertheim first discusses Pei’s architectural legacy at the Gallery and then joins with his longtime associate Perry Y. Chin to share experiences working on the recently completed East Building renovation.

The public talk will be held at 3:30 at East Building Auditorium, read details about the lecture in the museum's website.

Top image: Architect I.M. Pei in the East Building of the National Gallery of Art on opening day, June 1, 1978. Photo © Dennis Brack/Black Star. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gallery Archives

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