moran's depictions of yellowstone left a permanent mark on the american consciousness, transforming the public perception of the west fr a frightful land of mystery into a patriotic symbol of the beauty and promise of america. ( music ) narrator: it tended to look much like any other building, the usual geometric jumble of rods, forms, and scaffolds. but by its location alone, here on the familiar axis of amerin history, it was destined to become a prominent stone in the nation's crown. the first problem architect i. m. pei faced was the shape of the site, an asymmetrical set-back trapezoid on wch his building would have to respect the classic symmetry ofts older sister and serve also a combined function, as aexhibition spaceand a . and there were other challenges. pei: sixty-feet height will relate perfectly with buildings on constitution avenue, and a hured feet will relate very well with buildings up pennsylvania avenue. and if we pick these two heights, we can begin to develop some interesting volum. narrator: the desire for outward textural compatibility led them back to this marble quarry in tennessee. here, 4