1989: I.M. Pei's controversial glass pyramids open at the Louvre Museum.
Pei, known for his use of glass and steel, and for his fondness of geometric shapes, definitely brought his architectural oeuvre to the Louvre. He created a design that, while striking, offended the sensibilities of many traditionalists who felt that his modernist pyramids – the main pyramid serves as an entrance to the museum, and there are three smaller ones nearby – marred the aesthetics of the French Renaissance courtyard.
The problem, from the purist's point of view, is the starkness in contrast between Pei's complex, interlocking steel structures and the softer, more voluptuous lines of the stone palace that has stood alongside the Seine since 1546.
But like the Eiffel Tower, which was also widely despised by Parisians (before becoming the very symbol of France), the pyramids have gained grudging acceptance over time. If they're not exactly beloved, it's still rare to see a tourist brochure for the City of Light that doesn't feature at least one image of Pei's inspiration.
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