Man: A MUSEUM IS AN IMPORTANT BUILDING IN THE CITY.

THE LOUVRE ACTUALLY IS, PROBABLY, I THINK, THE NUMBER ONE MONUMENT OF FRANCE.

I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE EIFFEL TOWER.

[ CHUCKLES ] AND SO IF YOU TOUCH IT, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DO SOMETHING TO IT -- SOMEBODY'S GOING TO TELL YOU, "YOU'RE WRONG -- DON'T TOUCH IT."

THAT'S -- THAT'S NORMAL.

IF I WERE FRENCH, I WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY.

WHEN I FIRST SHOWED THE IDEA TO THE PUBLIC, I WOULD SAY 90% WERE AGAINST IT.

I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.

NO, I WOULD SAY THE FIRST YEAR AND A HALF WERE REALLY HELL.

I REALLY COULDN'T WALK THE STREETS OF PARIS WITHOUT PEOPLE WALKING AND LOOK AT ME AS IF TO SAY, "THERE YOU GO AGAIN.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO OUR GREAT LOUVRE?"

BUT TO RESPECT TRADITION, YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE NEED FOR CHANGE.

AND LOUVRE HAD TO CHANGE -- THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

BUT HOW TO MAKE THAT CHANGE?

HOW TO MAKE HISTORY LIVE, AND IN THE SAME TIME, POINT THE WAY TO THE FUTURE?

I DON'T KNOW -- I'M TRYING.

THE FRENCH WEREN'T THAT READY FOR CHANGE AT THAT TIME.

IT TOOK A WHILE BEFORE THEY CALMED DOWN.

AND I HAVE CRITICS RIGHT NOW ALREADY IN CHINA, BUT I KNOW THAT CHINA IS READY FOR CHANGE.

[ CHINESE-INFLUENCED MUSIC PLAYING ] I KNOW CHINA BETTER THAN I KNEW FRANCE.

AND CHINA IS ENTERING INTO THE MODERN WORLD.

AND THEY THINK, RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY, THAT I CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

SO I'M BACK.

CHINESE ARCHITECTURE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A SENSE OF DIRECTION.

SINCE MING DYNASTY, THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING THAT ONE CAN SAY, "THIS IS THE RENAISSANCE OF CHINESE ARCHITECTURE."

NONE.

AN INTERRUPTION OF 500 YEARS -- THAT'S SERIOUS.

AND THERE LIES THE CHALLENGE.

NOT SO SURE I CAN SUCCEED...

BUT SOMEONE HAS TO BEGIN.

I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

I WAS BORN IN THIS COUNTRY.

I WAS EDUCATED IN THIS COUNTRY.

MY FAMILY WAS IN SUZHOU 600 YEARS.

SO I HAVE ATTACHMENT TO IT.

SO WHEN THEY CAME TO ASK ME TO DESIGN A MUSEUM FOR THEM IN SUZHOU, I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO RESIST.

BUT WHAT A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRENCH ARCHITECTURE AND THE CHINESE.

[ BIRDS CALLING ] SUZHOU IS SURROUNDED BY WATER.

WATER IS EVERYWHERE.

IT'S A VERY POETIC PLACE.

BUT MOST IMPORTANT, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT SUZHOU YOU HAVE TO THINK OF SUZHOU AS A CITY THAT IS 2,500 YEARS OLD.

BUILT OF WOOD AND BUILT OF TILE AND BRICK.

SO THIS IS A SMALL-SCALE CITY.

IT IS A HUMAN-SCALE CITY.

AND IT IS A CITY FOR LIFE, FOR PEOPLE LIVING THERE.

AND AS SUCH, I THINK THE MUSEUM HAS TO REFLECT THIS TRADITION.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, ONE HAS TO THINK ABOUT... CHANGE.

SUZHOU CANNOT REMAIN LIKE THIS FOREVER.

IT HAS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO RENEW ITSELF -- TO BECOME MODERN.

[ SPEAKING CHINESE ] [ MAN SPEAKING CHINESE ] Pei: AT THIS STAGE OF MY LIFE I REALLY DON'T NEED TO DO ANYMORE, BECAUSE I HAVE DONE ENOUGH IN MY LIFE.

I FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO DO.

THIS I HAVE TO DO.

AND I THINK A MODERN ART MUSEUM IS THE RIGHT CONTRIBUTION.

THE QUESTION OF COURSE IS, IS IT RIGHT FOR SUZHOU?

[ SPEAKING CHINESE ] THE SEARCH FOR AN EXPRESSION OF CHINESE ARCHITECTURE IS NOT EASILY UNDERTAKEN BY ANYONE.

AND LEAST OF ALL BY MYSELF BECAUSE I LIVED 70 YEARS OF MY LIFE IN UNITED STATES.

I'M A FOREIGNER HERE.

SO IT IS NOT EASY.

THIS IS MORE THAN A TECHNICAL PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT HOW TO STRUCTURE IT.

NO, NO, NO, IT'S MORE THAN THAT.

IT'S A QUESTION OF FINDING THE SPIRIT OF THE PLACE.

THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE.

I MYSELF DID SOMETHING IN HONG KONG -- A 72-STORY BUILDING WHICH IS, I THINK, QUITE MODERN.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S CHINESE IN SPIRIT.

THIS BUILDING IS LIKE BAMBOO.

YOU KNOW, BAMBOO HAS KNOTS.

AND FOR EVERY KNOT THAT THEY ADD ON, THE BAMBOO GETS TALLER.

BANK OF CHINA SHOOTS UP FROM A VERY BROAD BASE, AND THEN EVENTUALLY TO SOMETHING WHICH IS MUCH MORE SLENDER.

ALL THE STRENGTH OF THIS BUILDING IS ON THE SKIN -- IT'S ON THE OUTSIDE.

IT'S JUST LIKE BAMBOO -- BAMBOO IS HOLLOW INSIDE.

BUT THE SKIN IS WHAT GIVES IT STRENGTH.

SO THIS BUILDING HAS THE SAME KIND OF STRUCTURAL REASONING BEHIND IT.

THIS ONE IS VERY TYPICALLY HONG KONG.

BUT THE BUILDING HAS VERY SHARP ANGLES.

AND THAT IS NOT FENG SHUI.

HONG KONG IS A PLACE WHERE FENG SHUI PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN PEOPLE'S LIFE.

AND THEREFORE THEY PREDICTED THAT THE BUILDING WILL FAIL ECONOMICALLY, IN FACT.

BUT IT'S STILL HERE.

[ CHUCKLES ] I WAS AWARE OF IT, BUT I MADE LIGHT OF IT.

AND, OF COURSE, I SUFFERED SOME SEVERE CRITICISM FROM THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE.

OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

THAT'S VERY NICE.

Man: MR. PEI.

I REMEMBER YOU.

PUBLIC OPINION IS VERY IMPORTANT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE PUBLIC IN FROM DAY ONE.

BUT SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE, AND IT HAS TO BE RIGHT.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO... TO FOLLOW THE OLD.

BECAUSE IT WOULD BE WRONG.

Man: SO YOU'VE GOT THE CHINA BANK, THIS LATE MODERN BUILDING THAT TWISTS AS IT GOES UP -- FULL OF ANGLES.

AND THE CHINESE SAY THIS IS BAD FENG SHUI.

BUT PEI, EVER THE SUAVE DIPLOMATIC MANEUVERER, MANAGES TO CONVINCE THEM THAT IT'S ALL RIGHT.

AND THE BUILDING WORKS BRILLIANTLY.

HE LEARNED THAT, BEING AN ARCHITECT, YOU HAD TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE, A LAWYER, AND WORK WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE TO PUSH FORWARD THEIR TASTES.

AND IT'S THE SAME SITUATION FOR PEI IN SUZHOU.

I THINK THE MODEL TURNED OUT ALL RIGHT.

Pei: YES, I THINK SO -- NICE.

THE ARCHITECTURE WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO CONTINUE THIS GRAY AND WHITE COLOR WHICH YOU SEE ALL OVER SUZHOU.

THESE TREES ARE PRETTY GRAY, HUH?

LOOKS LIKE WE'RE PART OF THE CITY.

THEY WILL LIKE THAT.

IN THAT SENSE, THIS BUILDING MAY LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE THE REST OF SUZHOU.

AND YET, REALLY, IT ISN'T.

IT'S ALREADY CHANGED.

THE NEW IS INSIDE.

IT'S IN SPACE AND IN LIGHT.

WHEN THEY WALK IN THEY SAY "AH, THIS IS SOMETHING VERY NEW."

[ MAN SPEAKING ENGLISH ] Pei: THEY ARE?

Man: THIS IS A GROUP FROM SUZHOU, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING BUREAU AND THE MUSEUM.

AND THEY ARE HERE TO MEET WITH OUR TEAM.

SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD AND ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT HOW THEY'LL REACT TO OUR DESIGN.

[ SPEAKING CHINESE ] Lin: NOBODY HAS SEEN ANYTHING, SO THIS WILL BE A SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY.

WE HOPE THAT APPROVAL CAN HAPPEN RATHER QUICKLY.

AND HOPEFULLY THE PROJECT CAN GO FORWARD FROM THIS POINT.

Pei: THIS IS THE CONCEPTUAL PHASE, SO THE QUESTION OF COURSE IS HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET APPROVAL.

WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE ON TWO OR THREE OTHER STEPS.

AND I DON'T WANT ANY SORT OF A SLACK IN BETWEEN.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I FEEL THAT WE CAN DO THIS PROJECT.

BECAUSE IF I CAN'T SEE THE BUILDING TO CONCLUSION, I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

AND I KNOW MY LIMITS.

Man: WE WERE ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD, BUT THERE WAS ONE PERSON FROM THE PLANNING OFFICE WHO WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE AND WANTED TO REMIND US THAT WE DIDN'T SATISFY THIS HEIGHT LIMIT ORDINANCE OR CODE.

Sandi Pei: WE ARE FINDING THAT THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE OF ITS PROMINENCE, AND BECAUSE OF MY FATHER'S -- ACTUALLY, BECAUSE OF HIS INVOLVEMENT, HAS PROMPTED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, TO BECOME MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

THIS IS A CURRENT OBSTACLE THAT WE NEED TO OVERCOME QUICKLY, BECAUSE BACKTRACKING IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM.

BUT PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO MAXIMIZE WHATEVER TIME MY FATHER HAS AVAILABLE REMAINING.

Pei: AS IT TURNED OUT, ANOTHER QUESTION THEY RAISED IS THE ROOF.

SHOULD WE USE TILE ROOF?

AND, UH -- AND WE'RE USING STONE ROOF.

I AM SEVERELY CRITICIZED.

THEY SAY "MR. PEI, I LIKE YOUR DESIGN, BUT I THINK YOU MAKE A BIG MISTAKE.

YOU SHOULD USE TILE ROOF.

THIS IS A TRADITION IN SUZHOU."

BUT I SAY, "I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO A BUILDING LIKE THAT."

THE REASON IS BECAUSE TILE ROOF IS SO STRONG A PERSONALITY IT ACTUALLY MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO MAKE FORM OUT OF IT, BECAUSE THE ROOF IS ABSOLUTELY TOO DOMINANT.

SO TO TAKE THE ROOF AWAY IS THE REMOVE OF A TYRANNY WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO INNOVATE.

Jencks: I UNDERSTAND WHY PEI WAS WORRIED ABOUT DOING TILE ROOFS IN SUZHOU, BECAUSE, FIRST OF ALL, IT WOULD CONSTRAIN HIM.

IT WOULD MAKE THE ROOF VERY BIG AND HEAVY AS IT WAS IN THE PAST.

AND HE WANTS TO TURN THE WALL INTO A ROOF AND THEN BACK INTO A WALL AND THEN TO A ROOF.

HE WANTS TO PLAY A GAME.

IT'S VERY MUCH A PEI TRADEMARK.

THE DIFFICULTY WAS THAT CHINA WAS CHANGING VERY QUICKLY AND THE OFFICIALS WERE VERY CONSCIOUS THAT SUZHOU WAS THE LAST GREAT CITY.

SO THEY WANTED TO HOLD ON TO EVERY BIT THEY COULD AND MANDATED IN THE HEART OF SUZHOU TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION.

BUT PEI SAID, "I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT."

AND HE CONVINCES THE OFFICIALS THAT IT'S ALL RIGHT NOT TO DO TILES.

YOU KNOW, PEI IS A FIGHTER.

AND HE HAD TO FIGHT WITH THE CHINESE, TOO.

Man: IT REALLY IS AWFULLY DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW BIG THE CONTROVERSY IS WITH BUILDING SUCH A MAJOR, MODERN BUILDING RIGHT IN THE HEART OF OLD SUZHOU.

Man: SUZHOU IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, DESIRABLE CITIES IN CHINA.

DIGNITARIES AND HIGHLY RESPECTED INTELLECTUALS WOULD CHOOSE TO LIVE THERE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

AND I THINK AS ARCHITECT TO HAVE SUZHOU IN PEI'S CHILDHOOD, THAT IS DEFINITELY VERY SIGNIFICANT.

Watt: SUZHOU WAS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CITY, FINANCIALLY AND CULTURALLY.

BY THE 15th CENTURY YOU HAVE THE ARTISTS, THE CRAFTSMEN, THE JADE CARVERS, THE METAL WORKERS -- EVERYBODY PRODUCING THE MOST REFINED WORKS OF ART IN ALL OF CHINA.

I MEAN, IT WAS A TREMENDOUS CONCENTRATION OF WEALTH AND LEARNING.

Pei: SUZHOU PRODUCED GREAT PAINTERS, GREAT CALLIGRAPHERS, GREAT WRITERS.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SUZHOU.

YOU SAY, "WHAT ABOUT VENICE?"

I SAY, "NOT VENICE."

"WHAT ABOUT AMSTERDAM?"

I SAY, "NOT AMSTERDAM."

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE SUZHOU.

AND WHEN I LEFT, I WASN'T REALLY THAT AWARE OF THE PLACE THAT I CAME FROM.

Jencks: I.M.

PEI LEFT CHINA IN THE '30s AND ARRIVED IN AMERICA AS A STUDENT.

HE CAME OUT OF HARVARD, WHERE HE WAS TAUGHT ABSTRACT MODERN ARCHITECTURE.

EVERYTHING WAS IMPERSONAL, HEAVY, CONCRETE, MONUMENTAL, ALIENATING, REPETITIVE -- DEADLY REPETITIVE.

IT WAS BORING BOXES FOR EVERYWHERE.

NO HISTORY, NO STYLE.

SO PEI WAS DESIGNING HIS THESIS.

IT'S YOUR FINAL PROJECT, AND YOU CAN CHOOSE THE KIND OF COMMISSION YOU WANT.

SO YOUR IDEALISM SHOULD COME OUT.

AND HE SLIGHTLY REBELLED.

AND HE SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO DESIGN A MUSEUM FOR SHANGHAI."

THE PROFESSOR SAID, "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"

AND PEI SAID, "WELL, BECAUSE I COME FROM CHINA, AND I WANT TO BRING NATURE INTO MY WORK."

AND SO HE DESIGNED THIS VERY INTERESTING MUSEUM ON MANY LEVELS, WITH CANTILEVERS THAT WERE MODERN, AND CONCRETE AND ABSTRACTION -- ALL OF THAT.

AND IT WAS A KIND OF MEMORY OF HIS GROWING UP IN THE GARDENS OF SUZHOU.

AND SO HE BROUGHT NATURE IN.

Sandi Pei: HE WAS TRYING TO BRING TOGETHER ELEMENTS OF THE PAST -- TRADITIONAL CHINESE ARCHITECTURE, WITH A CONTEMPORARY, MODERN LANGUAGE OR VOCABULARY, AND DEFINE SOMETHING WHICH REFLECTED BOTH.

Man: I UNDERSTAND THAT I.M.

PEI ONCE CALLED THIS "AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM" -- THIS BRINGING TOGETHER MODERN ARCHITECTURE WITH TRADITION.

I MEAN, YOU CAN STICK A CHINESE CURVED ROOF ON A MODERN BUILDING, AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF THOSE IN CHINA NOW, BUT IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGE TO DO THIS IN ANY WAY THAT IS NOT SIMPLY TRIVIAL.

Jencks: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THINK THAT, BACK IN THE 1940s, IN THE SHANGHAI MUSEUM, THAT LITTLE SEED OF HOPE TO INVENT A CHINESE MODERN ARCHITECTURE IS GROWING.

AND NOW IN HIS LATE EIGHTIES, PEI'S ASKED TO DESIGN A MODERN MUSEUM TO HOUSE THE ANTIQUES OF SUZHOU.

SO THAT SEED HAS GROWN INTO AN OAK.

AND HE'S THINKING AGAIN AS HE DID AT HARVARD, "I WILL TRY IN MY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR TO AN AUTHENTIC CHINESE ARCHITECTURE."

[ SIREN WAILING ] NICE TO BE BACK.

WHAT HAVE WE GOT I HAVEN'T SEEN?

A BIG RENDERING...

DRAWINGS.

AH, NOW, LET'S SEE.

Man: THEY TURNED OUT ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

RICHARD, YOUR TREE IS BEAUTIFUL.

YOU LIKE THE TREE?

YES!

BEAUTIFUL.

NOW, THE COLOR'S NOT DARK ENOUGH.

BUT THAT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL.

THAT WOOD FRAME AROUND IT.

MAKE IT MORE PRECIOUS.

Sandi Pei: IT REALLY DID TAKE LOTS OF MODELS.

WE WENT FROM "A" TO, I THINK WE'RE MAYBE AT, I DON'T KNOW, "F" OR "G" RIGHT NOW.

WE MADE CHANGES, WE MADE CHANGES.

THERE WERE ISSUES ABOUT HEIGHT AND SCALE AND ROOF MATERIAL.

SOMETIMES WE -- WE WOULDN'T CHANGE, BUT WE WOULD AT LEAST HAVE TO ADDRESS THEIR CRITICISMS.

AND WE DID THAT, AND I THINK WE, IN THE PROCESS, EARNED THEIR RESPECT BECAUSE WE WE DIDN'T DISMISS WHAT THEIR COMMENTS WERE -- WE TOOK THEM VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE ALL AGREED TO SATISFY THE HEIGHT LIMIT CODE RESTRICTIONS, AND IN DOING SO, WE'VE HAD TO PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE PROGRAM BELOW GROUND.

WE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO BRING NATURAL LIGHT INTO SOME OF THESE AREAS.

BUT OF COURSE, MY FATHER HAS SO MUCH EXPERIENCE IN THE GEOMETRIES AND HOW WE FILTER LIGHT INTO THE SPACE.

THE CLIENT, WHICH IS THE SUZHOU GOVERNMENT, WAS HAPPY WITH THE FINAL DESIGN.

AND MY FATHER WAS PARTICULARLY GOOD AT BRINGING THEM ON BOARD.

[ MAN SPEAKING CHINESE ] [ APPLAUSE, DRUMS PLAYING ] [ TRANSLATION OF BANNERS ] Lin: THIS IS THE FUTURE MUSEUM SITE.

AND I UNDERSTAND NOT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE MOVED OUT YET, BUT I THINK SOON THEY ARE ALL GOING TO BE MOVING OUT.

[ HYDRAULIC JACKHAMMER RUNNING ] ALL THESE BUILDINGS ARE OLD.

MAYBE OUTSIDE THEY LOOK POETIC, BUT INSIDE IS VERY POOR LIVING CONDITIONS.

Pei: IT'S A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE TO ME HOW TO GO TO THE NEXT CENTURY.

BUT IT'S A SENSITIVE SUBJECT WITH THE PUBLIC, AND I'M NOT UNAWARE OF IT.

Cobb: SOME PEOPLE WERE REALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAD BEEN LIVING THERE, IT WAS THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR OWN COMMUNITY THAT THEY WERE SEEING.

BUT BEYOND THAT, FOR THE CHINESE WHO WERE WATCHING, MANY HAD WITNESSED THIS BEFORE.

AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN MEMORIES OF THE ENORMOUS DESTRUCTION THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE DURING THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION.

ALL THROUGH THE MAO DAYS, THESE PEOPLE HAD SEEN MANY MAGNIFICENT OLD BUILDINGS WIPED OUT.

Jencks: MAO DESTROYED TRADITIONAL CHINESE CULTURE.

HE DESTROYED OLD BEIJING -- HE TORE DOWN THE WALLS.

Didi Pei: THERE WAS AN EXODUS OF CERTAIN PEOPLE OUT OF CHINA, AND MY FATHER, BY THE WAY, ALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO GO BACK.

I MEAN, HE HAD A GOOD LIFE IN CHINA, HE WAS FROM A VERY PROMINENT FAMILY.

WHY WOULDN'T YOU GO BACK?

NOW, HE GRADUATED IN 1939, AND BY THAT TIME YOU HAD THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION, AND THEN YOU HAD THE NATIONALIST COMMUNIST BATTLES.

AND HIS FATHER KEPT ON SAYING, "NOT YET.

IT'S NOT THE TIME."

AND THEN, OF COURSE, BY 1949, THEN IT WAS, YOU KNOW, TOO LATE.

Cobb: MAO, OF COURSE, COULDN'T WAIT TO MODERNIZE, AND SAW TRADITIONAL CHINESE CULTURE AS A MAJOR OBSTACLE.

THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION WAS THE EXTREME EXPRESSION OF THIS.

SO WHEREAS THE WEST MODERNIZED VERY GRADUALLY, AND LARGELY VOLUNTARILY, CHINA WIPED A GREAT DEAL OF THE SLATE CLEAN.

BUT THE COMMUNISTS DIDN'T THINK VERY MUCH WHEN THEY WERE PLANNING BUILDINGS.

Jencks: THE COMMUNIST ARCHITECTURE WAS AWFUL.

IT WAS A WHOLE SERIES OF CHEAP, THROWN-UP BUILDINGS WITHOUT ANY ARCHITECTURAL INVENTION OR INTEGRITY.

AND IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, CHINA WAS TAKEN OVER BY BAD MODERNISM.

THE KIND OF AWFUL JERRY-BUILT HIGH RISES THAT ARE GOING UP ALL OVER BEIJING AND THEN EVERY SINGLE CITY.

AND I.M.

PEI FEELS THAT HIS MISSION IS TO TAKE THIS MAD DESTRUCTION AND MAD CREATION AND GIVE IT SOME KIND OF DIRECTION.

[ MAN SPEAKING CHINESE ] Pei: THE BASEMENT'S COMPLETE.

THE GROUND FLOOR IS COMING UP.

THE BUILDING IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

THAT WILL BE THE FIRST CHALLENGE.

SECOND CHALLENGE IS HOW TO EXHIBIT ART.

THIS IS A MUSEUM.

SO TO BEGIN WITH, WE BUILT A ROOM TO EXHIBIT THE COLLECTIONS.

A FULL-SIZE MAQUETTE WITH A ROOF AND A WALL ALL BUILT.

IT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE, BECAUSE IT'LL GIVE ME AN IDEA AS TO WHETHER WE ARE GOING ABOUT IN THE RIGHT WAY.

Man: MR. PEI WENT RIGHT TO HOW THE GALLERIES WERE GOING TO BE TREATED.

THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM.

WITH A LOT OF MUSEUMS THAT YOU SEE TODAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT BIG FORMAL MANIPULATIONS, BIG MOVES.

HERE WITH THE COLLECTION AT THE MUSEUM, WE REALLY COULDN'T DO THAT.

IT'S TOO POWERFUL FOR THE OBJECT.

THE OBJECT IS VERY SMALL.

Pei: THE ART OBJECTS OF SUZHOU -- PORCELAIN, IVORY, THAT SORT OF THING -- THEY'RE NOT INTENDED FOR PALACES.

THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE VERY SMALL.

YOU WANT TO SEE IT IN A SMALL ROOM.

SO THEREFORE, TO EXHIBIT THESE LITTLE OBJECTS IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN TO DO A TAPESTRY OR DO A BIG MICHELANGELO SCULPTURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF CHALLENGE.

THERE'S LOTS OF LIGHT COMING IN FROM THERE.

THE SCALE OF THE ROOM IS NOT BAD.

Lee: PEOPLE SAY THIS IS MAYBE HIS LAST PROJECT.

HE TAKES THIS VERY, VERY PERSONALLY AND HE IS QUITE SENSITIVE IN THIS PROJECT TO THE COMMENTS THAT ARE COMING TO HIM, AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE SEE HIM A LOT MORE FREQUENTLY ON THIS PROJECT THAN WE NORMALLY DO.

AND HE'S SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND ENERGY ON THIS.

I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY CLOSE TO HIS HEART.

MI FU CALLIGRAPHY LIKE ART.

BEAUTIFUL CALLIGRAPHY.

SUZHOU SET THE DIRECTION FOR ME.

I'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING TO A PLACE WHERE MY FAMILY HAS PROSPERED 600 YEARS.

AND ALSO MY MEMORY OF CHINA IS STRONGER HERE IN THIS TOWN THAN IN ANY OTHER PLACE.

MY RECOLLECTION OF SUZHOU IS A CITY OF GARDENS.

AND, OF COURSE, THOSE ARE NOT LIKE WESTERN GARDENS.

THEY ARE FULL OF WATER AND BEAUTIFUL ROCKS.

MY UNCLE OWNED THIS PLACE.

IT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST GARDENS THERE.

AND SO I PLAYED HERE WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY.

I USED TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK HERE.

IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK.

YOU CAN MAKE BELIEVE IN THIS PLACE.

IN THE MIDST OF ALL THESE STRANGE-LOOKING ROCKS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE TWO STONES THERE THAT LOOK LIKE LIONS, YOU KNOW?

NOW, THESE STONES ARE VERY SPECIAL.

THEY CAME FROM STONE FARMERS.

THAT'S AN INTERESTING TERM.

WHY?

BECAUSE THESE STONE FARMERS COLLECTED A PIECE OF STONE.

NOW, HE'S ALSO SCULPTOR.

AND IF HE SAW POSSIBILITIES IN THAT STONE, HE DECIDED TO CUT HOLES IN THE STONE, OR SOMETHING THAT HE THINKS WOULD MAKE THE STONE A LITTLE MORE SPECIAL.

BUT OF COURSE, THE STONE LOOKS ROUGH, LIKE THIS.

SO THIS FARMER WOULD PUT THE STONE IN THE LAKE.

AND THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE TIDE WOULD SOFTEN THE ROUGH EDGES.

AND AFTER TEN OR TWENTY YEARS THEY WOULD SELL THAT STONE AND MAKE GARDENS OUT OF IT.

SO THAT'S WHY THEY CALLED THEM "FARMERS."

BECAUSE THE FATHER SOW, AND THE SON REAPS.

THE GARDEN IS ALWAYS THE HEART OF CHINESE ARCHITECTURE.

AND SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF A CHINESE GARDEN WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE MUSEUM.

IN FACT, THE GARDEN IS ACTUALLY MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN THE BUILDINGS.

BUT IT'S THE GARDEN I'M LEAST CONFIDENT ABOUT.

ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THE ROCKS.

I'M NOT GOING TO USE ROCKS THE SAME OLD WAY.

I CAN'T.

AND EVEN IF I TRY, I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT AS WELL.

SO THEREFORE, WHY TRY?

SO THERE MUST BE A NEW WAY.

AND THAT NEW WAY IS SOMETHING I'M SEARCHING.

I'M NOT CONFIDENT THAT I HAVE THE SOLUTION YET.

THE TOP OF THE STONE HAS A LOT OF DUST FROM CUTTING, SO IT'S STILL VERY WHITE.

Pei: THESE ROCKS ARE CUT IN THE NATURAL SILHOUETTE OF THE STONE AFTER YOU CUT IT... HAS A... HAS AN EDGE TO IT.

IT'S QUITE INTERESTING.

NOT UNLIKE CHINESE PAINTINGS.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIND A NEW WAY TO USE ROCKS MODELED AFTER CHINESE PAINTINGS THAT HAVE THE SILHOUETTE OF MOUNTAINS.

SO, IT'S AN EXPERIMENT.

PAINTING WITH STONES.

WHETHER WE WILL SUCCEED OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT IF WE DON'T SUCCEED, I TELL YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

MAYBE WE CANNOT USE ROCKS ANYMORE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SKILL.

AND FURTHERMORE, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME.

Lin: WHEN MR. PEI WAS LOOKING AT THE MOCKUP FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S NO SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE WORRIES WHEN HE FIRST SAW THESE ROCKS.

THEY DO LOOK RATHER FLAT BECAUSE THE COLOR WAS VERY UNIFORM.

SO WE WE DECIDED TO CREATE A SHADE OF BURNING SOME OF THE ROCKS.

Lin: I MUST TELL YOU, EVEN TWO DAYS BEFORE MR. PEI CAME, I TALKED TO SOME OFFICIALS.

THEY SAID, "WELL, THE GARDEN IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING BUT WE ARE JUST NOT SURE ABOUT THESE ROCKS."

WE'RE STILL KIND OF EXPERIMENTING WITH THE PROCESS, BUT SO FAR I THINK IT'S GETTING CLOSER TO WHAT THE SONG PAINTING WOULD BE LIKE -- IN A REAL SENSE -- THREE-DIMENSIONAL SENSE.

NOW, THIS PART IS TORCHED.

IT IS TORCHED TOO MUCH.

THE SHARPNESS OF THIS LINE IS GONE THERE.

WE WANT TO TORCH LESS THE NEXT TIME.

YOU HAVE THIS THICKNESS THAT MAYBE IT'S GOOD TO KEEP SOME OF.

KEEP SOME OF THE SHARPNESS, YEAH.

THIS HAS A LOT OF CHARACTER.

Pei: NOW WE KNOW WHAT TO DO.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING.

BUT, DEFINITELY... YEAH, MUCH BETTER.

WELL, THIS IS AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.

Bing Lin: HERE IN CHINA WHEN I'M WORKING WITH MR. PEI TOGETHER, ONE THING I THINK I SEE THAT EVEN MY COLLEAGUES IN NEW YORK DON'T IS THE CHINESE SIDE OF MR. PEI.

BECAUSE WHEN HE'S THINKING OF THE GARDENS, WHEN HE'S TALKING TO ME IN CHINESE, IN SUZHOU DIALECT, I GET TO SEE THE CHINESE SENSIBILITY OF MR. PEI, WHICH GOT INTO HIM MANY YEARS AGO.

BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY MR. PEI'S FINAL TRIP TO CHINA BEFORE THE OPENING.

AT HIS AGE, HE CAN'T TRAVEL AS MUCH AS HE WOULD LIKE TO.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO TRAVEL FOR HIM AND TO REPORT TO HIM OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

[ ALL CHATTING ] THIS IS WITH REGRET THAT I HAVE TO LEAVE NOW.

I SHOULD STAY LONGER.

BYE-BYE.

ONE MORE.

ONE MORE PICTURE.

[ LAUGHTER ] Pei: WHEN I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE -- BECAUSE I CAN'T FLY HERE ALL THE TIME AS I USED TO, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME TO LEAVE, KNOWING THAT THERE'S SO MUCH LEFT TO BE DONE.

[ WHISTLES ] Didi Pei: EVERY BUILDING HAS ITS OWN CHALLENGES.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE HALLMARKS, I THINK, OF MY FATHER'S WORK IS ALL THE DETAILS.

AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING ALL THE DETAILS RIGHT IN A COUNTRY LIKE CHINA IS NEVER EASY.

I MEAN, I THINK OF THE ROCKS THAT ARE IN THE GARDEN.

NOBODY HAD EVER DONE THAT BEFORE.

WHAT WAS IT SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE?

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

I MEAN, THE IDEA HAD COME PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT AN IDEA IS NO GOOD IF YOU CAN'T EXECUTE IT.

Bing Lin: DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROCKSCAPE, WE HAD A VISION IN OUR EYE OF WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE.

BUT IT WAS A MESSY CONSTRUCTION SITE.

[ JACKHAMMER RATTLING ] PIECES ARE JUST CUT.

YOU HAVE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS EXPOSED, AND MR. PEI WAS ANXIOUS.

Sandi Pei: AND HE WAS TRYING TO DO THIS FROM A LONG DISTANCE, BECAUSE HE WASN'T THERE FOR A LOT OF THIS.

SO WE WOULD HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS SENT BACK FROM SUZHOU.

AND HE WOULD LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS, AND SAY, "WELL, YOU KNOW THIS ROCK NEEDS TO MOVE OVER "SIX INCHES HERE, AND MOVE THIS ONE BACK TWO FEET."

TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THIS OVER 10,000 MILES AND 12 HOURS OF TIME DIFFERENCE IS A CHALLENGE.

HO HO!

[ WHISTLE TOOTS ] AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE BIG ROCKS, AND TO MOVE THEM A FEW FEET MIGHT TAKE A WHOLE DAY.

[ WHISTLE TOOTS ] SO THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT WENT INTO IT SHOWS THAT HE WAS REALLY ENGAGED IN TRYING TO DO SOMETHING INTERESTING.

Jencks: ALL THROUGH HIS CAREER, IT WAS THE DETAILS THAT PEI REALLY SWEATED OVER.

HE PRODUCED A PRECISIONIST, ELEGANT, MINIMALIST ARCHITECTURE.

AND WHEN HE DESIGNS THE SUZHOU MUSEUM, HE'S ULTIMATELY THINKING, "I WILL GIVE BACK TO CHINA.

"I WILL TRY, IN MY WAY, TO FULLY "ENGAGE WITH THE TRADITION "OF CHINESE ARCHITECTURE AND MELD IT "WITH THE MODERN TECHNIQUES -- WITH STUCCO, STEEL AND GLASS, AND CONCRETE."

YOU SEE, HE TURNED CONCRETE FROM A HEAVY, BRUTAL MATERIAL INTO A SILKEN, CHINESE SCROLL PAINTING IN THE END OF HIS LIFE -- I MEAN, AT 90, HE DOES THE BEST CONCRETE IN THE WORLD.

YOU TOUCH IT, YOU THINK, "OH, I'D LIKE TO WEAR THAT."

BUT THE SUZHOU MUSEUM IS MODEST.

AND THERE'S WHERE PEI'S MODESTY IS VERY IMPORTANT.

HE KNOWS THAT IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A REBIRTH OF CHINESE ARCHITECTURE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE BUILDING.

BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A SERIES OF STEPS.

AND I THINK THIS BUILDING IS A GREAT STEP IN HIS GIVING TO CHINA A DIRECTION.

[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ] [ PEI SPEAKING CHINESE ] [ APPLAUSE ] Pei: SUZHOU MUSEUM -- I THINK OF IT AS PART OF ME.

AND SO, IN MANY WAYS, THIS PROJECT IS A BIOGRAPHY FOR MYSELF.

AND WHAT LITTLE I REMEMBER OF CHINA... YOU SEE, I LEFT WHEN I WAS QUITE YOUNG, SO WHAT I REMEMBER OF CHINA IS PURELY ONE OF NOSTALGIA.

BECAUSE I WASN'T...

BUT IT GAVE ME A CHANCE TO SOMEHOW TO... TO MAKE A PHYSICAL EXPRESSION OF WHAT I REMEMBER.

WHETHER I'VE CAPTURED IT, I DON'T KNOW.

[ Chuckling ] YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK THEM.

PEOPLE GOING IN, DO THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS OLD CHINA OR THIS IS NEW CHINA?

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I HOPE THAT THEY THINK THIS IS CHINA.

Watt: I THINK HE HAS CREATED A TOTALLY ORIGINAL WORK OF ART.

AND I TELL YOU SOMETHING WHICH IS QUITE INTERESTING -- MANY GREAT CHINESE ARTISTS DO THEIR BEST WORK IN THEIR VERY LATE YEARS.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ELSEWHERE.

I MEAN, THAT -- NOT AS MUCH AS IN CHINA, ANYWAY.

AND I.M.

IS A MODERN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

I THINK SOMETHING OF SUZHOU HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH HIM.

AND IT'S A SUBJECT THAT HE'S HELD, I THINK, IN HIS HEART FOR A LONG TIME.

AND IT COMES OUT WITH THE MASTER'S BRUSH.

Jencks: CHINESE PEOPLE CAN BE VERY STILL AND QUIET FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT THEY REMEMBER.

THEY HAVE LONG MEMORIES.

I MEAN, EVEN AS A STUDENT BACK IN THE 1940s, PEI WAS THINKING, "I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A NEW, AUTHENTIC CHINESE ARCHITECTURE, THE FIRST YOU'VE HAD SINCE THE MING."

AND NOW AT THE END OF HIS LONG CAREER, THE SUZHOU MUSEUM IS, IN MANY WAYS, A VERY GRACEFUL AND LYRICAL ESSAY IN HIS IDEA.

AND IT'S REALLY THE CULMINATION OF THIS DREAM WHICH HE HAD AT HARVARD.

Ma: THE BUILDING IS VERY ELEGANT, SUBTLE, BUT TO ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF HIS LAST PIECES RETURN BACK TO WHERE HE IS FROM, I THINK THAT JOURNEY, AS A CAREER, IS GRAND, IS NOBLE.

AND IT'S VERY CHINESE.

I MEAN, ALWAYS RETURN HOME WHEN YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL.

ONLY COME HOME WHEN YOU ARE DOING BETTER THAN YOUR ANCESTORS.

I DON'T KNOW IF I.M.

IS VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT IT, BUT THAT ACT OF COMING HOME WAS ACTUALLY DOING THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDING IS ONE OF THE CHINESE VIRTUES.

Pei: I LEFT CHINA IN 1935.

SO I RETURNED TO SUZHOU ALMOST AS AN OUTSIDER -- LOOKING BACK AT A PLACE THAT I REMEMBER.

BUT WAS I PREPARED TO DEAL WITH IT?

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I DID.

BUT I TRIED TO.

WHAT LITTLE I REMEMBER OF CHINA, I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK INTO THIS BUILDING.

SO I LIKE TO THINK THAT THIS IS A SUZHOU PLACE THAT I'VE CREATED.

SUZHOU MUSEUM WAS AN EXCITING JOURNEY FOR ME.

AND IT WAS A CHALLENGING ONE, BUT I FACED THAT CHALLENGE WITH GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST.

LOOKING BACK AT IT, I THINK IT IS MY RETURN TO HOME, SO TO SPEAK.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT I.M.

PEI, VISIT pbs.org.