Famed architect Cesar Pelli has died at 92. The Argentine-American who made New Haven home was 92 and Connecticut is responding to the loss of the man who was known the world over for designing some of the world's tallest and most iconic buildings.
“New Haven today mourns the passing of Cesar Pelli who, with his amazing design team, created signature skylines in cities all over the world,” New Haven Mayor Toni Harp said in a statement. “New Haven-based @PCPArch designs the most beautiful and timeless buildings, including Malone Engineering at Yale and NHPS’ very own Cooperative Arts High School.”
Pelli was the former dean of the Yale University School of Architecture and a lecturer at the school, where he received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is one of the Pelli's best-known works. The twin 1,483-foot-tall skyscrapers are among the world's tallest buildings. He is also known for designing the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco and Brookfield Place, formerly the World Financial Center, a downtown Manhattan skyscraper complex.
“On behalf of the City of New Haven and its residents, I send condolences to his family and associates, and encourage them to continue imagining, designing, and delivering inspirational architecture – everyday – in Cesar Pelli’s memory,” Harp’s statement says.
One of the many designs Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was responsible for is the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford.
“Cesar Pelli’s vision created exactly the expressive, beautiful and functional structure required to make the Connecticut Science Center successful. Now an iconic and gracious feature on the skyline of our capital city, Pelli’s building proclaims Connecticut’s heritage and future as a community of innovation, and affords visitors inside the inspirational experiences that empower them to realize that ambition,” Connecticut Science Center President and CEO, Matt Fleury, said in a statement. “We are proud that Cesar Pelli’s global legacy includes the Connecticut Science Center, and we are grateful to have collaborated with him in such an extraordinary endeavor. Our hearts go out to his family and his team in New Haven.”
