NEW HAVEN — Famed Argentine-American architect Cesar Pelli, known for designing some of the world’s tallest and most iconic buildings, has died. He was 92.
Anibal Bellomio, a senior associate architect at Pelli’s Connecticut studio, confirmed Saturday that Pelli died peacefully on Friday at his home in New Haven. 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.
The Yale School of Architecture released a statement saying, “Our thoughts are with Dean Pelli’s family. Gifts in his honor can be made to the Cesar Pelli Scholarship Fund, established in 2005, which provides financial assistance to students at the School. Remembrances can be sent to arch.info@yale.edu and will be shared on the School’s website.”
Pelli spoke of architecture being a social art.
His buildings also graced Connecticut, including the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford. The science center’s president, Matt Fleury, said in an emailed statement: ““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…. Our hearts go out to his family and his team in New Haven.”
In his adopted home of New Haven, Pelli designs include the Malone Engineering building at Yale, and the Cooperative Arts High School. In a statement, Mayor Toni Harp said, “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.”
