Renowned Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei passed away on May 16 at the age of 102. His most representative works include the Grand Louvre Pyramids in Paris, the Bank of China building in Hong Kong, and the Suzhou Museum in Suzhou. He also designed Luce Memorial Chapel on the campus of Tunghai University in Taichung, his only work in Taiwan.


I.M. Pei's face lights up as he speaks about his views on architecture. The world-famous Chinese-American architect passed away in New York on May 16 at the age of 102. His works can be found all over the world, and many are considered to be classics. These include the Grand Louvre Pyramids in Paris and the Bank of China building in Hong Kong. Tunghai University's Luce Memorial Chapel is the only work that Pei designed in Taiwan.

It's a very special building. It's the world's first building to be constructed in this way (with large angled surfaces).

It was just designated as a national monument. Luce Memorial Chapel is the first thing that comes to mind when you mention Tunghai University.

Luce Memorial Chapel was completed in 1963. It was designed by Pei and executed by architect Chen Chi-kuan. It is the only work personally designed by Pei in Taiwan. At that time, the chapel blended into the landscape, and glazed tiles covering the roof made it appear like the bottom of an ark. The building also resembled two hands clasped in prayer. The interior flows freely as a result of the lighting techniques. Scholars say lighting was a very important design technique used by Pei.

All of his works have this special characteristic. Everyone can sense the strong connection between the building, the environment, and nature. It sends the message that buildings are a very important intermediary between people and nature.

Pei was an expert at making good use of light, and his works were also modernist and perfectly balanced between engineering and aesthetics. His 66 works are spread across the globe, and Luce Memorial Chapel in Taiwan is considered to be one of his classic works. Pei was regarded as one of the premier architects in the world, and he influenced many later generations of architects.



談起自己對建築的理念，建築大師貝聿銘看起來相當開心．而在美東時間16號凌晨，傳出貝聿銘在紐約辭世的消息，享壽102歲．他的作品遍及全世界，代表作更是成為經典，像是巴黎羅浮宮前的玻璃金字塔，香港的中銀大廈等等，都成為建築代表作，其中台灣的路思義教堂，更是在台設計的唯一作品

東海大學同學表示：「是很特別的建築，它的角度，是全世界第一個，用這種角度(大面積傾斜)所蓋成的建築。」

東海大學同學表示：「才被列為是國定古蹟，其實大家聽到東海大學，第一個想到，就會是路思義教堂。」

1963年落成的路思義教堂，當時由貝聿銘設計，陳其寬執行，是貝聿銘在台灣親自設計的作品，當時融合地景，創造大面積的琉璃瓦屋頂，看起來就像方舟的船底，也像祈禱的雙手，同時以大片採光的方式，呈現空間自由流動的感覺．學者表示，光線是貝聿銘很重要的設計手法。

東海大學建築系主任 邱浩修表示：「一路以來，他的建築物都有這樣的特質，可以讓人家去感受到建築跟環境，跟自然的，很強烈連結的關係，看到說，建築原來是人跟自然之間的，很重要的中介。」

善用光線自然投入，也融入現代風格，呈現工程和美學的均衡感，他所參與設計的66件建築作品遍及世界，在台灣的路思義教堂成為經典．不僅讓他得到建築界大師的美譽，風格也影響後代。