years, and he was the architect of Pepperdine University at Malibu, named by the Princeton Review as the most beautiful college campus in America. His most praised and criticized work was probably the Transamerica building, which was completed in 1972. When the building was first unveiled in 1969 it was met with harsh criticism, but has been accepted as having more character than the buildings around it and as being an oddly creative city symbol. Perhaps his greatest lasting legacy besides his buildings are the numerous respected architects of today who came out of both Pereira's firm and the classes he taught at USC, including Gin Wong and Frank Gehry. Pereira's firm was taken over upon his death by his two primary cohorts, Scott Johnson and Bill Fain. See also List of William Pereira buildings References External links Modernist architects from the United States Postmodern architects American urban planners Architectural theoreticians American production designers 1909 births 1985 deaths Artists from Chicago Architects from Los Angeles American people of Azorean descent American people of Portuguese-Jewish descent Jewish architects Best Visual Effects Academy Award winners Fellows of the American Institute of Architects People associated with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art University of Illinois alumni University of Southern California faculty Deaths from cancer in California 20th-century American architects University of Illinois School of Architecture alumni American people of Portuguese descent