Finalist
César Pelli is a world-renowned architect, writer, and teacher. He was born in Argentina and was educated both there and in the United States. He worked in Eero Saarinen’s studio, and served as the dean of the Yale University School of Architecture from 1977 to 1984. Since establishing his firm in 1985, Pelli has created masterful civic structures, academic buildings, and iconic skyscrapers that give shape and identity to major cities around the globe. Pelli’s philosophy of architecture is a thoughtful inquiry into his clients’ needs and the specifics of site and environment. This portrait of Pelli captures his intelligence and thoughtful countenance. My work strives for a timeless image of the subject by revealing not the specific nuances of the person but the underlying geometries and essential form of the subject’s head.