I. M. Pei

I. M. Pei

Born: April 26, 1917

One of the most talented and successful American architects of the post-war period, I. M. Pei’s architectural forms are beautifully wedded to the context of their sites as exemplified in his design for the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Pei, who moved to the United States from his native China to study architecture at the age of 17, also designed the famous and controversial glass construction in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris - Pyramide du Louvre. He has been awarded almost every major architectural prize, including the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects, the Pritzger Prize and the 2003 National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Play online design games at: http://ndm.si.edu/GAMES/

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg

Born: Dec. 18, 1946

A lifelong cinema buff, Steven Spielberg began directing his first short movies while still a child. He studied film at California State University and won notice for his 1969 short feature “Amblin.” He graduated to big-budget blockbusters with the release of “Star Wars,” which he co-created with George Lucas. His 1977 “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” was another huge success, employing state-of-the-art special effects. In the 1980s, he released “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and several successful sequels. In the 1990s, he released the global blockbuster “Jurassic Park.” That same year he released “Schindler’s List,” a docudrama set in the Holocaust. He received seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for this film.

Frank Lloyd Wright

"Fallingwater," a dramatic reinforced concrete residence by Frank Lloyd Wright, is anchored into bedrock on the hillside. The significance of this structure means great attention to detail must be taken during stabilization and repair work on the deteriorating concrete features.

Photo: HABS Collection, NPS.

Frank Lloyd Wright

Born: June 8, 1867

Died: April 9, 1959

Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most original American architects of the 20th century. His buildings and ideas have affected the way offices and homes are designed and organized today. Wright's willingness to look to various cultures for inspiration allowed him to develop a unique style. During the early decades of the 1900s, other American architects were merely imitating European styles. Wright believed in the power that good design has to make people more aware and respectful of their surroundings and of nature. Wright designed office buildings, houses, neighborhoods, public buildings, churches, and museums. He designed about 800 buildings. Of the 380 that were built, about 280 are still standing. The influence of his "Prairie style" of architecture is in evidence in homes across the country.