Cesar Pelli (born October 12, 1926 in San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina) is a noted Argentine architect known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. His firm has its headquarters and employs about 100 architects, designers, and support staff personnel in New Haven, Connecticut. He is known for his extensive use of curved facades and metallic elements in his designs.
Pelli emigrated to the United States in 1952 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1964. After studying architecture at the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Pelli completed his studies at the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Pelli is not only an architect, but an educator. He was appointed Dean of the School of Architecture at Yale University in 1977, and served in that capacity until 1984. He started his venerable career in the offices of the great Eero Saarinen, whose firm was also located in New Haven, and he has also designed the World Financial Center complex in downtown Manhattan, best known as the surrounding buildings around the now fallen World Trade Center. Pelli authored the book "Observations for Young Architects" as well.
In 1991, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) listed Pelli as one of the ten most influential living American architects. He has won numerous awards, and is the recipient of the 1995 AIA Gold Medal which recognizes a significant body of work of lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.
Perhaps his most famous work are the Petronas Twin Towers, which were for a time the world's tallest buildings.
In 2007, Duke University commissioned him for a long term revitalization of its Central Campus, taking place over the next 20 to 50 years.[1]
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