Pelli, Cesar
Pelli, Cesar (1926– ). Argentine-born American architect. He worked with Eero Saarinen from 1954 to 1964 before moving to Los Angeles where he was Director of Design for Daniel, Mann, Johnson, & Mendenhall (1964–8) and then Design Partner, Gruen Associates (1968–77). He established his own office in New Haven, CT, in 1977. The Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles (1971–5), brought Pelli's name to notice: it drew on C19 iron-and-glass exhibition-halls for some of its themes, though the external cladding derived from Mies van der Rohe's paradigms. The Paxtonian Crystal Palace idea recurred in the winter-garden attached to Pelli's huge skyscraper and plaza at the World Financial Center, NYC (1981), where his skill in designing the external skin of his buildings was demonstrated. Even simpler in form, with a pyramid roof, was the enormous Canary Wharf Tower, Isle of Dogs, London (1986–91), regrettably not quite aligned on the axis running through the finest Baroque composition in England at Greenwich. Other works include the House for an Anonymous Patron, Western USA (1990–3—constructed of timber columns and beams), and the huge Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1991–7).
Bibliography
Anger (1996a);
Crosbie (1998);
Kalman (1994);
Futagawa(ed.) (1981);
Goldberger (ed.) (1950);
Jodidio (1996, 1997);
Jane Turner (1996)
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Pelli, Cesar