The Glass Pyramid
A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
Two starred reviews!
In this “stunning” (Booklist, starred review) picture book, award-winning picture book biographer Jeanne Walker Harvey tells the story of the renowned architect I. M. Pei and his triumph in redesigning the Louvre through problem-solving and persistence.
In 1981, I. M. Pei was on a mission. A successful architect known for his modern designs, Pei was asked by the French president to redesign the Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa and now famous for the glass pyramid at its center. At the time, the Louvre had many problems and no pyramid.
Pei faced many obstacles, including discrimination because he was Chinese American. Determined to succeed and make the Louvre a welcome place for all, Pei worked hard—and sometimes in secret. This is the story of a visionary who worked patiently and persistently to solve problems and achieve his goals: to plant and grow a glass pyramid.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Architect I.M. Pei (1917–2019) believed that "success is a collection of problems solved," and designing the Louvre's now-iconic glass pyramid entrance put that philosophy to the ultimate test. In spare, rhythmic prose and digital illustrations that combine architectural elements with vector-like precision, Walker Harvey and Le weave together Pei's biography and the pyramid's creation story. When approaching the project—designed to solve a serious number of visitor flow issues—Pei understands that a purely utilitarian solution won't suffice. The architect finds inspiration in the rock gardens of his family's retreat in China as well as the geometric Gardens of Versailles, but the pyramid's design proves only half the challenge. Pei also faces fierce opposition that he approaches via patience and a partnership with Paris's mayor, a tack that shows how enduring solutions often emerge from a confluence of expertise, imagination, and persuasion. Back matter offers more context. Ages 4–8.
