Mr. Ieoh Ming Pei, an internationally renowned Chinese-American architect and the chief designer behind the Macao Science Center (MSC), passed away yesterday (May 16, 2019) aged 102. Macao Science Center expresses deep sorrow over his passing and extends its sincere sympathy to his family.

Mr. I. M. Pei was a legend in the world of architecture having won countless awards throughout his life. He was adept at using building materials like steel, concrete, glass and stone to create unique architectures. His masterpieces are spread all over the world, including the glass pyramid outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Suzhou Museum in Suzhou, and the iconic Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong.

The Macao Science Center is also a work by Mr. I. M. Pei, who drew its conceptual design after visiting Macao to select the building site in April 2002 with his son, Mr. Li Chung Pei, chairman of Pei Partnership Architects.

Back then, invited by the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the Administrative Committee of the Macao Foundation, Mr. I. M. Pei visited MSAR, and personally selected the site across the Macao Cultural Centre, to be reclaimed from sea for the building of the Macao Science Center and its supporting facilities.

With a gross floor area of 20,000 square meters, MSC consists of three parts, i.e. the Exhibition Center, the Planetarium and the Convention Center. Mr. Pei’s signature design features are seen everywhere inside and outside the MSC building. He outlined the shape of each part in geometric forms, and used liberally materials like steel, aluminum panels and glass to build it. The result was a science center showing beautifully simple lines, while being able to make full use of sunlight for indoor use to save energy.

Today, MSC has become one of Macao's landmarks, with the mission to promote popular science among the youth in coordination with the development of tourism in the SAR, besides serving as a regional platform for popular science education and MICE events.

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Macao Science Center Limited

May 17, 2019                                                                                    07-PR-PUB-19