I.M. Pei’s Plan for OKC | This Land Press

In 1964, the renowned architect I.M. Pei created a 10×12 ft. model showing how downtown Oklahoma City might look in 1989. Now the OKC Historical Society is planning to show that model:

The scheduled date for unveiling is May 3rd, and will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the northeast lobby of the Cox Convention Center. Speakers will include Mayor Mick Cornett and state historian Dr. Bob Blackburn. In addition to the model, the display will include new information panels about the history of downtown and the urban renewal era, and original paintings that were produced almost 40 years ago in conjunction with the introduction of the Pei Plan.

Critics contend that the model is an example of just how devastating the urban renewal plans of the sixties were–charging that they often decimated the rich history of a city and replaced it with futuristic architecture that never quite achieved an aesthetic appeal or purpose.

Click here to visit the IM Pei Project Website.