--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: François Mitterrand was a student of…" description: "\"François Mitterrand was a student of architecture, he had done a lot of research before he called me. He said, \"You did something special at the Nation..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/i-m-pei-21076_architecture_fran-ois-mitterrand-was-a-student-of-arc_2104654.jpg" --- # François Mitterrand was a student of architecture, he had… ![“François Mitterrand was a student of architecture, he had done a lot of research before he called me. He said, "You did something special at the National Gallery of Art in Washington - you brought the new and the old together." But John Russell Pope finished the West Building in 1941, so when the…” quote by I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/i-m-pei-21076_architecture_fran-ois-mitterrand-was-a-student-of-arc_2104654.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/i-m-pei-21076_architecture_fran-ois-mitterrand-was-a-student-of-arc_2104654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/i-m-pei-21076_architecture_fran-ois-mitterrand-was-a-student-of-arc_2104654.jpg) > “François Mitterrand was a student of architecture, he had done a lot of research before he called me. He said, "You did something special at the National Gallery of Art in Washington - you brought the new and the old together." But John Russell Pope finished the West Building in 1941, so when the East Building opened it was only about 40 years old. But the Louvre is 800 years old! A much bigger design challenge.” [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pei praises the National Gallery’s blend of new and old, contrasting it with the much older Louvre, underscoring the challenge of integrating modern design with historic context. **In simple terms:** Blending modern and historic architecture is challenging. Key Takeaway Seek balance between innovation and heritage. Themes architecture history design integration Mood inspirational contemplative Type architectural historical When to use this quote - museum renovation - urban planning - heritage sites - public art installations Key Concepts modernism preservation cultural continuity Questions to Reflect On - How can architects honor history while innovating? - What compromises are acceptable in historic renovations? A Different Perspective Balancing novelty with tradition can risk compromising either authenticity or relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Gallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallery/) [Louvre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/louvre/) [Louvre 800](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/louvre-800-4220634/) [Mitterrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mitterrand-1840960/) [Old Louvre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-louvre-4220633/) [Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pope/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Something special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-special/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west/) [West Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-building-4220635/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I have given myself one objective, to be the long-awaited successor to Francois Mitterrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/i-have-given-myself-one-objective-to-be-the-long-awaited-successor-to/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [When I was elected to head the German government, I was fortunate enough to find a partner in Francois Mitterrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/when-i-was-elected-to-head-the-german-government-i-was-fortunate/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Mitterrand had a sense for symbols, and he was the first Socialist president since 1958. He wanted to show that there is historical continuity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/mitterrand-had-a-sense-for-symbols-and-he-was-the-first-socialist/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [But Maastricht was not the end of history. It was a first step towards a Europe of growth, of employment, a social Europe. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurent-fabius/but-maastricht-was-not-the-end-of-history-it-was-a-first-step-towards/) [Laurent Fabius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurent-fabius/) > [Everyone says Francois Mitterrand had huge charisma. But before he was president they used to call him badly dressed, old, archaic and say he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/everyone-says-francois-mitterrand-had-huge-charisma-but-before-he-was/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [I think the career of President Mitterrand, which was rather sensational when it was revealed, is probably very typical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-o-paxton/i-think-the-career-of-president-mitterrand-which-was-rather/) [Robert O. Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-o-paxton/) > [“Very well, young man, very well," Treville went on, "I know those airs. I came to Paris with four ecus in my pocket, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/very-well-young-man-very-well-treville-went-on-i-know-those-airs-i/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [So let's not pretend that travel is always fun. We don't spend 10 hours lost in the Louvre because we like it, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/so-let-s-not-pretend-that-travel-is-always-fun-we-don-t-spend-10/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [What I am trying to say is that it is not without any value. The value of copies is that they can direct us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/what-i-am-trying-to-say-is-that-it-is-not-without-any-value-the-value/) [Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/) > [I haven't seen the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre. I haven't seen anything. I don't really care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-haven-t-seen-the-eiffel-tower-notre-dame-the-louvre-i-haven-t-seen/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [In my low periods, I wondered what was the point of creating art. For whom? Are we animating God? Are we talking to ourselves?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-my-low-periods-i-wondered-what-was-the-point-of-creating-art-for/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Out of the closets and into the museums, libraries, architectural monuments, concert halls, bookstores, recording studios and film studios of the world. Everything belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-closets-and-into-the-museums-libraries-architectural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like the Hotel Costes, on rue Saint Honore, a boutique hotel near the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Tuileries. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-temperley/i-like-the-hotel-costes-on-rue-saint-honore-a-boutique-hotel-near-the/) [Alice Temperley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-temperley/) > [Museums do not share their collections with other museums unless they get something in exchange. The Metropolitan will deal with the Louvre, but will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/museums-do-not-share-their-collections-with-other-museums-unless-they/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/) [Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/) ## More by I. M. Pei > [My projects have typically taken a long time to complete. Buildings might take on average about five to seven years to finish, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/my-projects-have-typically-taken-a-long-time-to-complete-buildings/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [ When I got the opportunity to do the new wing \[the Schauhaus\] for the German Historical Museum, for instance, I didn't see it as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/when-i-got-the-opportunity-to-do-the-new-wing-the-schauhaus-for-the/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-believe-that-architecture-is-a-pragmatic-art-to-become-art-it-must/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Let's do it right. This is for the ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/let-s-do-it-right-this-is-for-the-ages/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Qatar does not have much history, it's a new emirate. So I couldn't draw on the history of the country; its history is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/qatar-does-not-have-much-history-it-s-a-new-emirate-so-i-couldn-t/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I didn't want to think about a project that I couldn't finish. That's a kind of temptation. One has to realize one's limitations. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-didn-t-want-to-think-about-a-project-that-i-couldn-t-finish-that-s/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Contemporary architects tend to impose modernity on something. There is a certain concern for history but it’s not very deep. I understand that time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/contemporary-architects-tend-to-impose-modernity-on-something-there/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [You cannot defend your design without knowing what you're designing for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/you-cannot-defend-your-design-without-knowing-what-you-re-designing/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I was born in Suzhou, a city not very far from Shanghai. It's a very interesting town - there is a long artist's tradition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-was-born-in-suzhou-a-city-not-very-far-from-shanghai-it-s-a-very/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Architecture is the very mirror of life.You only have to cast your eyes on buildings to feel the presence of the past, the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/architecture-is-the-very-mirror-of-life-you-only-have-to-cast-your/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Great artists need great clients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/great-artists-need-great-clients/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I've been active all my life. In 1990 I retired from my firm, I.M. Pei & Partners, and for two years I didn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-ve-been-active-all-my-life-in-1990-i-retired-from-my-firm-i-m-pei/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [At home, I have a wife, fortunately, and my children are all grown, and I have many grandchildren. I spend weekends with my grandchildren;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/at-home-i-have-a-wife-fortunately-and-my-children-are-all-grown-and-i/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I haven't taken any new projects in the past years - I told myself, if I cannot live long enough to finish it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-haven-t-taken-any-new-projects-in-the-past-years-i-told-myself-if-i/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Success is a collection of problems solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/success-is-a-collection-of-problems-solved/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) [Explore all 30 I. M. Pei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) ## More Architecture quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [When I am asked what I believe in, I say that I believe in architecture. Architecture is the mother of the arts. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meier/when-i-am-asked-what-i-believe-in-i-say-that-i-believe-in/) [Richard Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meier/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. 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It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [It's not so much about form versus functionality. 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