I.M. Pei

Architecture is the art of how to waste space.

I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art, it must be built on a foundation of necessity.

I don't like to be pigeonholed. I'm not a modernist, I'm not a postmodernist. I'm just I.M. Pei.

The purpose of architecture is to make a better life, not just to make a beautiful building.

Good architecture is like a good symphony. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Light is the key to everything. It is the most important element in architecture.

I often say that I am a Chinese-born American architect. I am very proud of my heritage, but I am also very proud of my adopted country.

I try to create timeless architecture, not fashionable architecture.

The problem is not to find the answer, but to find the question.

I believe that architecture should be humanistic. It should be for people, not just for aesthetics.

You have to be a little bit crazy to be an architect.

My work is about bringing together the past and the present, the East and the West.

The most important thing in architecture is to understand the site.

I am not interested in making a statement. I am interested in making a building that works.

Architecture is a very slow art. It takes a long time to build a building, and it takes an even longer time for it to be appreciated.

I have always believed that architecture should be a dialogue between the architect and the client.

I try to create buildings that are both functional and beautiful.

The Louvre Pyramid was a very controversial project, but I believe that it has become a symbol of Paris.

I am a firm believer in the power of geometry.

My goal is to create buildings that will stand the test of time.