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John F. Kennedy, Library, Harvard Square Scheme

A work made of blue ballpoint pen ink on 3-hole punched notebook paper.

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  • A work made of blue ballpoint pen ink on 3-hole punched notebook paper.

Date:

1966

Artist:

I. M. Pei
American, born China 1917–2019

About this artwork

The prevalence of geometric shapes in the work by I. M. Pei is evident in these early conceptual sketches. In both projects, the triangle is a primary device used to develop formal elements as well as logistical solutions. In the Harvard Square Scheme, the centrally located triangle evolved into a proposal for a large glass pyramid constructed from triangular glass windows. In his design for the East Building addition to the National Gallery of Art, Pei had to resolve the site’s small, irregular trapezoidal plot of land and connect with John Russell Pope’s 1941 neoclassical West Building while also fitting within the monumentality of the mall. Later Pei described his process: “I drew a diagonal line across the trapezoid and produced two triangles: one for the museum, the other for the study center. This was the beginning.” In both schemes, the triangle is an important component and emphasizes the central role geometry can play in design and situating architecture within a site.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

I. M. Pei (Architect)

Title

John F. Kennedy, Library, Harvard Square Scheme

Place

Cambridge (Building address)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1966

Medium

Blue ballpoint pen ink on 3-hole punched notebook paper

Inscriptions

Initialed and dated at bottom left, "10 Nov 66/ I.M"; signed at bottom right, "I.M. Pei"

Dimensions

21.2 × 28 cm (8 3/8 × 11 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of I.M. Pei through Mr. and Mrs. Jay A. Pritzker

Reference Number

1991.1372

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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