As an interesting
side note, I.M. Pei also designed the
Pei Dormitories, a notable architectural feature of
New College in Sarasota,
Florida. They are specially designed to be
asymmetrical, so that the
inhabitants can not become accustomed to them. This purportedly has the effect of forcing the
students who live there to pay attention to the architecture every time they walk through, instead of becoming used to it. This is considered a
Good Thing for the architect, but is often referred to as a
Bad Thing by
inebriated students who can't figure out where their dorm has gone.
Rumors about the
Pei Dormitories include that they were originally to be done in blue marble, by the bay, that they were all going to originally have double balconies, but that they ran out of materials and that they were to be regular apartments, and that they were to be a senior citizen's
rest home community. This last one has been largely discounted, due to the
treacherous nature of the concrete stairs, and the general lack of
amenities.