Famed architect Cesar Pelli, who helped design Aria, dies at 92

The Associated Press

5 years ago

Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, which designed the Aria Resort and Casino. (Las V ... — Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, which designed the Aria Resort and Casino. (Las Vegas Review-Journal/File)

Fireworks explode over the 60-story tower of the Aria hotel-casino at the CityCenter resort complex during the grand open for the casino on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009, in Las Vegas. The centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter development boasts 4,004 rooms, 150,000 square feet of casino space, 11 restaurants, a 215,000-square-foot pool deck with three pools and a 1,800-seat theater for “Viva Elvis” by Cirque du Soleil. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

FILE – In this Nov. 27, 2004 file photo, Cesar Pelli of Cesar Pelli and Associates US, right, one of the awardees of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture walks with his award as the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, claps during the award ceremony at the gardens of Emperor Humayuns Tomb in New Delhi, India. Pelli, known for designing some of the world’s tallest and most iconic buildings, has died. He was 92. Anibal Bellomio, a senior associate architect at Pelli’s Connecticut studio, confirmed Saturday, July 20, 2019, that Pelli died peacefully on Friday at his home in New Haven. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Famed Argentine-American architect Cesar Pelli, who designed Aria on the Las Vegas Strip among other iconic buildings, has died. He was 92.

Anibal Bellomio, a senior associate architect at Pelli’s Connecticut studio, confirmed Saturday that Pelli died peacefully on Friday at his home in New Haven. Pelli was the former dean of the Yale University School of Architecture and a lecturer at the school, where he received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is one of the Pelli’s best-known works. The twin 1,483-foot-tall skyscrapers are among the world’s tallest buildings. He is also known for designing the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco and Brookfield Place, formerly the World Financial Center, a downtown Manhattan skyscraper complex.

Pelli spoke of architecture’s being a social art.