Arts at MPL:
Cesar Pelli

• Arts at MPL

Cesar Pelli
New Haven, Connecticut
http://www.cesar-pelli.com/

Architectural Rendering, Cesar Pelli and Associates

Central Library Original Schematic Design Report, October 18, 2002 (PDF, 9M)

Statement

I love libraries. They can be magical places where many worlds await us. In our design of Central Library, we tried to capture some of the magic and excitement. The building is enclosed in glass, letting light in and providing views out. Picking up a book and reading in this building is a pure pleasure. In the evening, the library glows like a lantern.

The entrances to the building can be seen from far away because of shiny steel overhangs that project over the sidewalks. These overhangs are the ends of a long wing-shaped roof that covers Library Commons, the central space of the library. This is a tall, exciting place filled with light and people.

In the design, we were inspired by the spirit of Minneapolis. The building is beautiful and functional, restrained and exuberant, practical and poetic. It is a classical design that will look new for a very long time. It is a unique building for a unique city.

Biographical Information

Cesar Pelli was born in Tucumn, Argentina. In 1977, he became Dean of the School of Architecture at Yale University and established Pelli Clarke Pelli in New Haven, Connecticut. Mr. Pelli's work has been widely published and exhibited, with eight books dedicated to his designs and theories. Mr. Pelli wrote Observations for Young Architects (Monacelli Press, 1999) as a distillation of his thoughts on a profession he loves. In 1995, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) awarded Cesar Pelli its Gold Medal. In 1991, the AIA selected Mr. Pelli as one of 10 most influential living American architects. In 1998, the AIA awarded Pelli Clarke Pelli its Firm Award. Cesar Pelli has received over 20,000 awards for design excellence and is the only architect to receive a Connecticut State Arts Award.