Ieoh Ming Pei is definitely one of the biggest names in architecture. Born in China in 1917, Pei was the son of a prominent banker. He grew up mostly in Hong Kong and Shanghai. At the age of 17, Pei left for the United States to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then Harvard University. Pei attracted great attention in the US for the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, but it was the Louvre Pyramid that brought him worldwide fame. In 1981, the newly elected President of France came up with an ambitious plan for a variety of construction projects, including the renovation of the Louvre Museum. Pei was invited to join the renovating team. Pei finally agreed to take on the project after three secretive trips to Paris. Pei designed not only a glass and steel pyramid to serve as the entrance to the Louvre, but also a transformation of the interiors. The public reacted harshly to the design, mostly because of the proposed pyramid. In an attempt to soothe public anger, Pei took a suggestion from then-mayor of Paris and placed a full-sized model of the pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre. During the four days of its exhibition, an estimated 60,000 people visited the site. Critics eased their opposition after witnessing the proposed scale of the pyramid. The new entrance was opened to the public in March, 1989. By that time, public opinion had softened on the Pyramid; a poll found a 56 percent approval rating for the pyramid. “The much-feared pyramid has become adorable,” wrote a French writer. The experience was exhausting for Pei, but also rewarding. “After the Louvre,” Pei said later, “I thought no project would be too difficult.” Now the Louvre Pyramid is Pei.s most famous structure.

1-1、Pei became famous for he was elected by the President John F. Kennedy to design a library.
A、T
B、F

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