The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I.M. Pei

Architect I.M. Pei (1917–2019) believed that “success is a collection of problems solved,” and designing the Louvre’s now-iconic glass pyramid entrance put that philosophy to the ultimate test. In spare, rhythmic prose and digital illustrations that combine architectural elements with vector-like precision, Walker Harvey and Le weave together Pei’s biography and the pyramid’s creation story. When approaching the project—designed to solve a serious number of visitor flow issues—Pei understands that a purely utilitarian solution won’t suffice. The architect finds inspiration in the rock gardens of his family’s retreat in China as well as the geometric Gardens of Versailles, but the pyramid’s design proves only half the challenge. Pei also faces fierce opposition that he approaches via patience and a partnership with Paris’s mayor, a tack that shows how enduring solutions often emerge from a confluence of expertise, imagination, and persuasion. Back matter offers more context. Ages 4–8. (May)